The links of fine airborne particulate matter exposure to occurrence of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in Michigan, USA.

Air pollutants, particularly airborne particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 2.5μm (PM2.5), have been linked to the increase in mortality and morbidity associated with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.

ZnO nanoparticles supported on dendritic fibrous nanosilica as efficient catalysts for the one-pot synthesis of quinazoline-2,4(1,3)-diones.

The transmutation of waste into valuable materials has a special place in green chemistry. Herein, we report the preparation of quinazoline-2,4(1,3)-diones from 2-iodoaniline, isocyanides, and carbon dioxide in the presence of ZnO NPs stably placed on the surface of dendritic fibrous nanosilica by cellulose (DFNS/cellulose-ZnO) as a catalyst. This is a great economic strategy to create three bonds in a one-pot multicomponent reaction step employing functional groups.

Green synthesis of PbCrO nanostructures using gum of ferula assa-foetida for enhancement of visible-light photocatalytic activity.

Photocatalytic selective oxidation has attracted considerable attention as an environmentally friendly strategy for organic transformations. Some methods have been reported for the photocatalytic oxidation of sulfides into sulfoxides in recent years. However, the practical application of these processes is undermined by several challenges, such as low selectivity, sluggish reaction rates, requirement of UV-light irradiation, use of additives, and instability of the photocatalyst.

Biochemical Characterization of Ferulic Acid and Caffeic Acid Which Effectively Inhibit Melanin Synthesis via Different Mechanisms in B16 Melanoma Cells.

In this study, we examined the inhibitory effects of ferulic acid and caffeic acid on melanin production using a murine B16 melanoma cell line. The mechanisms by which the two acids inhibit melanin production were investigated by evaluating their effects on the activity of tyrosinase, which is involved is the first step of melanin biosynthesis. Ferulic acid showed no toxicity against the melanoma cells at any dose, whereas caffeic acid exerted cellular toxicity at concentrations higher than 0.

Synthesis of 6-(2-Methoxynaphthyl)-2,3-dihydro-1,2,4-triazine-3-thione as a New Reagent for Spectrophotometric Determination of Copper.

A simple, sensitive, accurate, and green spectrophotometric method for the determination of Cu(II) using newly synthesized reagent, 6-(2-methoxynaphthyl)-2,3-dihydro-1,2,4-triazine-3-thione (MNDTT), has been developed. MNDTT was synthesized based on the acylation of methoxy naphthalene and reaction of the product with amyl nitrite, which upon reaction with thiosemicarbazide yielded 6-(2-meyhoxynaphthyl)-2,3-dihydro-1,2,4-triazine-3-thione. MNDTT produces a dark red complex with copper in methanol according to the 1 : 2 stoichiometry.

Spectrophotometric Determination of Cu(2+) and Monitoring of Hg(2+) and Ni(2+) in some Iranian Vegetables Using 6-(2-Naphthyl)-2, 3-Dihydro-as-triazine-3-thione.

Recently, 6-(2-naphthyl)-2, 3-dihydro-as-triazine-3-thione (NDTT) was synthesized in laboratory and used successfully for the spectrophotometric determination of nanogram levels of Cu(2+) in aqueous solution. This reagent forms a specific red complex with Cu(2+) ions after the extraction by chloroform at alkaline pH. The absorption of the complex in the UV region (313 nm) is about 8 times as strong as in the visible one (510 nm).

Synthesis and In-vitro Antibacterial Activities of Acetylanthracene and Acetylphenanthrene Derivatives of Some Fluoroquinolones.

Novel analogues of N-piperazinyl fluoroquinolones were prepared and evaluated against a panel of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, to study the effect of introducing bulky anthracene and phenanthrene moieties on the antibacterial effects of norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin and gatifloxacin. Although most of the novel synthesized compounds had lower antibacterial effects, some derivatives showed better activity in comparison with mother drugs based on molar concentration; for example, the 3-acetyl phenanthrene analogue of norfloxacin was more effective than E. coli and K.

Biochemical characterization of epigallocatechin-3-gallate as an effective stimulator for the phosphorylation of its binding proteins by glycogen synthase kinase-3β in vitro.

The stimulatory and inhibitory effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) and its related two compounds (luteolin and quercetin) on the phosphorylation of four proteins [bovine myelin basic protein (bMBP), human recombinant tau protein (hrTP), human recombinant vimentin (hrVM) and rat collapsin response mediator protein-2 (rCRMP-2)] by glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) were comparatively determined in vitro. We found that (i) EGCG, not quercetin and luteolin, highly stimulated the GSK-3β-mediated phosphorylation of hrTP and significantly stimulated the phosphorylation of bMBP and hrVM by the kinase; (ii) these three polyphenols inhibited dose-dependently the phosphorylation of rCRMP-2 by GSK-3β; (iii) only EGCG significantly enhanced autophosphorylation of GSK-3β; and (iv) EGCG had a binding-affinity with two basic proteins (bMBP and hrTP) and a low affinity with rCRMP-2 rather than hrVM in vitro. In addition, the binding of EGCG to these two basic proteins induced to highly stimulate their phosphorylation, including novel potent sites for GSK-3β, and to significantly reduce the K(m) value and increase the V(max) value of these two substrate proteins for the kinase in vitro.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-phenylthiazole-4-carboxamide derivatives as anticancer agents.

A series of substituted 2-phenylthiazole-4-carboxamide derivatives were synthesized as potential cytotoxic agents and evaluated against three human cancer cell lines including T47D (Breast cancer), Caco-2 (Colorectal cancer) and HT-29 (Colon cancer). The SAR of the arylacetamido pendent connected to the para-position of 2-phenylthiazole were explored. It was found that substitution at the 4-position by a methoxy group led to improvement of activity against Caco-2 cells while 2-methoxy substituent could maintain the high activity against HT-29 and T47D cell lines.

Preparation and in-vitro Antibacterial Evaluation of Electroless Silver Coated Polymers.

Long-term use of indwelling medical catheters has often been hindered by catheter-associated nosocomial infections. In this study the effectiveness of silver coating of polystyrene and polyethylene polymers was investigated. Polymer pieces of 2 cm(2) each were coated with a thin layer of silver using electroless plating technique.

A time course analysis of systemic administration of aqueous licorice extract on spatial memory retention in rats.

In the present study, the time course of the effects of Glycyrrhiza glabra L. (Leguminosae) aqueous extract (GE), administered systemically to rats, on the spatial memory retention in the Morris water maze was investigated. The dose of glycyrrhizin (GL), i.

High blood pressure trends in children and adolescents in national surveys, 1963 to 2002.

Background: Secular trend data on hypertension in children and adolescents are scarce and inconsistent. In the face of growing obesity, we sought to assess high blood pressure (HBP) secular trends in children and adolescents enrolled in national surveys and to determine whether the HBP trend reversed its course with the rise in obesity.

Methods And Results: National survey data obtained from multistage probability sampling of the US noninstitutionalized population from 1963 to 2002 were examined; 8- to 17-year-old non-Hispanic blacks and whites and Mexican Americans were included.

HLA-G DNA sequence variants and risk of perinatal HIV-1 transmission.

Background: HLA-G gene is a non-classical MHC class 1 molecule that is highly expressed in the trophoblast at the maternal-fetal interface. In an attempt to elucidate possible immunological mechanisms facilitating protection of infants born to human immunodeficiency virus type (HIV-1) infected mothers, we have been studying genetic variations in the coding and untranslated regions of HLA-G antigen between HIV-1-infected mothers and their infected or uninfected infants. This study investigated whether HLA-G DNA sequence variants are associated with perinatal HIV-1 transmission.

Bilateral risk for subsequent breast cancer after lobular carcinoma-in-situ: analysis of surveillance, epidemiology, and end results data.

Purpose: Noninvasive lesions involving the lobules of the breast are increasingly diagnosed as incidental microscopic findings at the time of lumpectomy or core-needle biopsy. We investigated the incidence rates of invasive breast cancer (IBC) after a diagnosis of lobular carcinoma-in-situ (LCIS) by using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data.

Patients And Methods: Patients (N = 4,853) having a diagnosis of primary LCIS in the time period of 1973 to 1998 were identified using the SEER Public Use CD-ROM data.

Anti-inflammatory effects of butadiene Diels-Alder adducts to some 1-dehydroglucocorticoids in rats.

Three compounds (C1, C2 and C3) were synthesized by reacting dexamethasone as a strong anti-inflammatory drug or prednisolone as a moderate one with 1,3-butadiene under Diels-Alder reaction conditions to produce pentacyclic compounds. The structures of C1 [(11 beta,16 alpha,17 alpha)-9 alpha-fluoro-11,17,21-trihydroxy-16-methyl pregna [1 alpha,2 beta]-cyclohex 3',4-diene, 3,20-dione], C2 [(11 beta,16 alpha,17 alpha)-9 alpha-fluoro-11,17,21-trihydroxy-16-methyl pregna [1 alpha,2 alpha]-cyclohex 3',4-diene, 3,20-dione], and C3 [(11 beta,17 alpha)-11,17,21-trihydroxy-pregna [1 alpha,2 alpha]-cyclohex 3',4-diene, 3,20-dione] were concluded based on GC-mass and 1H NMR spectroscopic data. The compounds were used to evaluate the effect of introducing extra ring in the structure of the above drugs on their anti-inflammatory behavior.

Urinary 6beta-hydroxycortisol: a validated test for evaluating drug induction or drug inhibition mediated through CYP3A in humans and in animals.

6beta-Hydroxycortisol (6beta-OHF) urinary excretion has, for a long time, been considered a marker of drug induction and, more recently, of drug inhibition in humans and in laboratory animals, but its specificity is still under debate. In this work, we review 277 papers devoted to 6beta-OHF urinary excretion. We have evaluated factors that could modify 6beta-OHF excretion and, thus, could explain contradictory results.

Pretest probability assessment for selective rest sestamibi scans in stable chest pain patients.

The objective of this study was to determine whether pretest probability assessments permit more selective testing of chest pain patients with technetium-99m sestamibi scanning. Pretest probabilities of cardiac ischemia were measured both objectively (Acute Cardiac Ischemia Time-Insensitive Predictive Instrument [ACI-TIPI]) and subjectively (physician's estimate of the probability of unstable angina). Two groups were defined: patients whose postsestamibi scan led to a "downgrade" of the intensity of monitoring and those that resulted in no change in monitoring intensity.

Combined low-dose-rate brachytherapy and external beam radiation for cervical cancer: experience over ten years.

Cervical cancer was treated with a combination of external beam and intracavitary radiation during a 10-year period at Wayne State University. Data were collected for 216 patients treated radically with external beam radiation (EBRT) and low-dose-rate brachytherapy for cervical cancer between 1980 and 1991 at Wayne State University. Patient distribution by stage was IB, 20.

Resting sestamibi imaging for the prognosis of low-risk chest pain.

Objective: To assess the prognostic value of resting Tc-99m sestamibi scanning for adverse cardiac events (ACEs) in ED chest pain patients with a low probability of acute cardiac ischemia (ACI).

Methods: Sixty-nine consenting, hemodynamically stable patients with chest pain and a nondiagnostic electrocardiogram received an injection of 25 mCi of sestamibi during or within two hours of active pain. Scans were interpreted locally by a nuclear cardiologist or radiologist.

Anesthetic methods for reduction of acute shoulder dislocations: a prospective randomized study comparing intraarticular lidocaine with intravenous analgesia and sedation.

A prospective, randomized, nonblinded clinical trial was undertaken to evaluate whether local intraarticular lidocaine injection (IAL) is equally effective in facilitating reduction of acute anterior shoulder dislocations (AASD) as intravenous analgesia/sedation (IVAS). The setting was an urban, Level 1, trauma center. Patients enrolled presented to the emergency department (ED) with radiographically confirmed AASD and were randomized either to the IVAS group or the IAL group.

External beam radiotherapy for painful osseous metastases: pooled data dose response analysis.

Purpose: Although the effectiveness of external beam irradiation in palliation of pain from osseous metastases is well established, the optimal fractionation schedule has not been determined. Clinical studies to date have failed to demonstrate an advantage for higher doses. To further address this issue, we conducted a pooled dose response analysis using data from published Phase III clinical trials.

Antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of barberry fruit (Berberis vulgaris) in the guinea-pig ileum.

Barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is a well known medicinal plant in Iran and has also been used as food. The antihistaminic and anticholinergic activity of aqueous extract of barberry fruits were investigated on isolated guinea-pig ileum, and dose response curves of histamine and acetylcholine with and without extract were plotted. The pA2 values for antihistaminic activity of extract and dexchlorpheniramine were calculated (extract; pA2 +/- S.

Permanent 125iodine implants for recurrent malignant gliomas.

Purpose: To determine the efficacy and toxicity of permanent 125iodine implants for recurrent malignant gliomas.

Methods And Materials: Between January 1989 and January:, 59 patients with histologically confirmed recurrent malignant gliomas (22 nonglioblastoma malignant gliomas, 37 glioblastoma multiforme at the time of implant) received a permanent 125iodine implant. Patients ranged in age from 13-74 years.

Diagnostic testing of the emergency department patient with chest pain.

In evaluating patients with nondiagnostic initial clinical or electrocardiogram (ECG) findings for acute cardiac ischemia, continuous 12-lead ECG monitoring increases the detection of diagnostic ECG findings, including ST-segment elevation, in patients awaiting hospital admission. Rest scanning with technitium-99m sestamibi is able to risk stratify low-moderate risk patients into lower and higher risk groups for cardiac events. Caveats include the reduced sensitivity of scanning of patients who are pain free and the need for follow-up exercise scans for patients free of perfusion defects at rest.

The influence of race on the efficacy of curative radiation therapy for carcinoma of the prostate.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of race on the outcome of patients treated curatively with external beam irradiation for carcinoma of the prostate. The study was performed between January 1980 and December 1993 of 1,529 men with prostate cancer. Similar percentages of Caucasian men (CM) and African-American men (AAM) had localized disease (stages T1 and T2) and advanced stage disease (stage T3).