Discovery of 2-aminoimidazole and 2-amino imidazolyl-thiazoles as non-xanthine human adenosine A receptor antagonists: SAR and molecular modeling studies.

A small-molecule combinatorial library of 24 compounds with 2-aminoimidazole and 2-aminoimidazolyl-thiazole derivatives was synthesized using a 2-chloro trityl resin. The generated compound library was tested against all the human adenosine receptors subtypes. The 2-aminoimidazole derivatives () showed weak to moderate affinity towards the human adenosine receptors.

Waste container weighing data processing to create reliable information of household waste generation.

Household mixed waste container weighing data was processed by knowledge discovery and data mining techniques to create reliable information of household waste generation. The final data set included 27,865 weight measurements covering the whole year 2013 and it was selected from a database of Helsinki Region Environmental Services Authority, Finland. The data set contains mixed household waste arising in 6m(3) containers and it was processed identifying missing values and inconsistently low and high values as errors.

Selective endovascular aneurysm neck ligation to treat compressive cranial neuropathy.

Objective: To report a novel endovascular coiling technique for ligation of aneurysms presenting with cranial neuropathy.

Methods: We describe three patients (all female, median age: 57) presenting with unruptured, mass effect producing, aneurysms. All three were treated with coiling of the aneurysm inflow zone without deploying coils in the dome or fundus.

Strategies to enhance the biological nitrogen removal of high-strength ammonium and low C/N landfill leachate with the SBR process.

The treatment of high ammonium-nitrogen concentration landfill leachate has become an increasing problem because of the requirements to reduce nutrient emissions. A laboratory-scale sequential batch reactor (SBR) was operated and tested in order to optimize the operational strategies of a cost-saving method to enhance the removal of ammonium-nitrogen from a real landfill leachate. Two sequence schemes were tested, one with long non-aerated/aerated sequences and another with short sequences.

Optimization of landfill leachate management in the aftercare period.

The management of sanitary landfills after closure is an important engineering, economic and sustainability issue and is referred to as the greatest unresolved landfill challenge. Most sanitary landfills are operated according to the dry tomb principle, resulting in aftercare periods of hundreds of years. To study landfill body behaviour, long-term leachate emissions were studied with anaerobic landfill simulators, and a forecast model was developed targeting the behaviour of NH(4)-N, COD and chlorides as a function of temperature and the L/S-ratio (liquid-to-solid).

Cost-saving biological nitrogen removal from strong ammonia landfill leachate.

The aim of the study was to develop an improved management mode in Ämmässuo landfill (Finland) for leachate ammonium-nitrogen removal, to minimize the leachate management costs and secure compliance with the uptrend requirements of regulations for on-site leachate management. With a single sequential batch simulation reactor, the minimum C/N ratio was detected as 1.7 (adjusted by external carbon addition), to achieve the acceptable removal efficiency of 99, 62 and 74% in NH( 4)-N, total nitrogen and chemical oxygen demand, respectively.

Comparison of methods used in the collection of source-separated household waste.

The efficiencies of four different waste collection methods were compared by modelling the collection of source-separated household waste in the Helsinki region, Finland. Efficiency was assessed on the basis of system costs, fuel consumption, working hours and recovery rates. The study included paper, biowaste, energy waste and mixed waste produced in households.

Biphasic alterations in cardiac beta-adrenoceptor signal transduction mechanism due to oxyradicals.

To assess the effects of oxyradicals on cardiac beta-adrenoceptors, G-proteins and adenylyl cyclase, rat heart membranes were incubated with xanthine (X) plus xanthine oxidase (XO) for different intervals. The basal as well as forskolin-, NaF-, 5'-guanylylimidodiphosphate and isoproterenol-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activities showed an increase at 10 min and a decrease at 30 min of incubation with X plus XO. Treatment of membranes with H2O2 also produced biphasic changes in adenylyl cyclase activities.

Maternal residual beta-cell function and the outcome of diabetic pregnancy.

Preservation of own insulin production (residual pancreatic beta-cell function) has been shown to have a beneficial effect on glycemic control in insulin-dependent diabetic subjects, and its total lack has been suggested to be an independent risk factor during diabetic pregnancy. We studied the influence of residual beta-cell activity on the glucose control and the outcome of pregnancy in 29 diabetic women by sequentially measuring gestational postprandial plasma C-peptide (CPR) levels, diurnal blood glucose curves and blood glycosylated hemoglobin (Hb A1c) and by analyzing the morbidity and mortality of the offsprings. The 9 diabetics with moderate own insulin secretion (CPR levels over 1.

Residual B-cell function and glycaemic control in diabetic pregnancy.

Serum C-peptide immunoreactivity (CPR), mean blood glucose and blood glycosylated haemoglobin Hb A1c were measured in 23 insulin-dependent diabetic women at 11-12, 23-24, 33-34 and 37-38 gestational weeks in order to elucidate changes in residual B-cell function during pregnancy and their influence on the glycaemic control. CPR values generally increased at the 23-33 gestational weeks, with a significant difference between the mean of the peak values and the mean of the values at the first admission. When the subjects were divided into two groups on the basis of the residual B-cell function at the first admission, the glycaemic control during pregnancy was significantly better in those with higher residual B-cell activity.

Cardiovascular response to exercise in young women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

To evaluate the cardiovascular response to exercise in diabetes, a graded maximal exercise test was performed on 50 women with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, aged 15-40 years, and on 15 healthy women in the same age group. The diabetic subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the duration of disease: group 1: 0-5 years, group 2: 6-14 years, group 3: 15-29 years. The maximal work load was lower in the diabetic subjects than in the controls.

Impaired left ventricular filling in young female diabetics. An echocardiographic study.

To assess left ventricular (LV) function in diabetes mellitus, M-mode echocardiograms were recorded in 36 insulin-treated diabetic women, mean age 25 +/- 6 (SD) years, and 13 healthy women of the same age. Echocardiographic tracings of the septum and LV posterior wall were digitized and continuous plots were made of LV dimension and its rate of change. The pattern of LV filling was abnormal in 19 diabetics, when the mean value +/- 2 SD in the healthy women was taken as the normal range of the indices.

Systolic time intervals and the QT-QS2 interval in young female diabetics.

To detect subclinical cardiomyopathy in diabetic patients without evidence of coronary artery disease, systolic time intervals were measured in 51 insulin-treated young female diabetics (mean age 27 years and mean duration of diabetes 12 years) and in 15 healthy women of the same age. The ratio of the pre-ejection period to the left ventricular ejection time (PEP/LVET) was used as an index of left ventricular performance. The PEP/LVET ratio was normal in all diabetics and did not differ statistically from that in the control group.

Prostacyclin and thromboxane in diabetes.

Concentrations of the stable antiaggregatory prostacyclin metabolite 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha) and of the proaggregatory thromboxane A2 metabolite thromboxane B2 were measured by radioimmunoassay in plasma from 53 diabetics. In 33 of these patients the ability of platelets to produce thromboxane B2 during spontaneous clotting was also studied. Plasma 6-keto-PGF1 alpha concentrations were higher (p less than 0.

Systemic lupus erythematosus and habitual abortion. Case report.

A case report is presented of a woman with nine previous spontaneous abortions. At the beginning of her tenth pregnancy a high amount of anti-nuclear antibodies was found. The patient was given prednisolone and pregnancy and the puerperium were uncomplicated.

Family studies of ocular manifestations in arthritis.

To determine the hereditary and clinical patterns, nine patients from three families with different systemic and ocular rheumatoid diseases were examined ophthalmologically and medically. Three types of HLA-B27 associated anterior uveitis were seen. While HLA-B27 linked genes predispose the carrier to acute anterior uveitis (AAU) frequently recurring or chronic anterior uveitis may develop if an immune-complex disease such as Rheumatoid arthritis coexists.