Occupational exposure to petroleum products and respiratory health: a cross-sectional study from Algeria.

Objective: To investigate the possible impact of long-term occupational exposure to hydrocarbons on respiratory health.

Methods: Respiratory health was assessed by questionnaires, spirometry, and exhaled nitric oxide in 250 male workers from a company handling and distributing refined petroleum products (exposed) and 250 electricians (controls). Exposure to hydrocarbons was assessed by personal air monitoring.

Oxidative stress induced by pure and iron-doped amorphous silica nanoparticles in subtoxic conditions.

Amorphous silica nanoparticles (SiO₂-NPs) have found broad applications in industry and are currently intensively studied for potential uses in medical and biomedical fields. Several studies have reported cytotoxic and inflammatory responses induced by SiO₂-NPs in different cell types. The present study was designed to examine the association of oxidative stress markers with SiO₂-NP induced cytotoxicity in human endothelial cells.

Evaluation of transdermal fentanyl patch attachment in dogs and analysis of residual fentanyl content following removal.

Objective: To investigate whether the method used to attach matrix-type fentanyl patches influences the degree of skin attachment and the amount of active drug remaining in patches after use.

Study Design: Prospective, randomised clinical study.

Study Population: Fifteen adult dogs of mixed breeds.

Fentanyl transdermal absorption linked to pharmacokinetic characteristics in patients undergoing palliative care.

Delivery rates and plasma concentrations vary among patients treated with fentanyl patches. Absorption and urinary excretion characteristics of fentanyl were studied in patients undergoing palliative care. Almost 500 patches were analyzed for residual fentanyl content.

Highly sensitive gas chromatographic-mass spectrometric screening method for the determination of picogram levels of fentanyl, sufentanil and alfentanil and their major metabolites in urine of opioid exposed workers.

Highly sensitive and specific analytical GC-MS procedures were developed and comprehensively validated for the determination of the opioid narcotics fentanyl, sufentanil and alfentanil and their major nor-metabolites in urine of potentially exposed opioid production workers. A simple, one step extraction protocol was developed using commercially available solid phase extraction (SPE) columns to recover all analytes from urine. The secondary amine functionalities of the nor-metabolites were derivatized to form stable, pentafluorobenzamide (PFBA)-derivatives with good chromatographic properties.