Sensitive liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for the determination of loratadine and its major active metabolite descarboethoxyloratadine in human plasma.

A sensitive method for the simultaneous determination of loratadine and its major active metabolite descarboethoxyloratadine (DCL) in plasma was developed, using high-performance liquid chromatographic separation with tandem mass spectrometric detection. The samples were extracted from plasma with toluene followed by back-extraction into formic acid (2%) for DCL after which the toluene containing the loratadine was evaporated, the analyte reconstituted and combined with the DCL back-extract. Chromatography was performed on a Phenomenex Luna C18 (2) 5-microm, 150x2.

A South African perspective on children's rights: general principles.

South Africa has made rapid progress in the field of human and especially children's rights. This is in sharp contrast with it's apartheid history where even the basic principles of human rights were negated. In this article an overview will be given of the general principles on which the realization of children's rights in South Africa are based.

Primary heart angiosarcoma detected by computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging.

We report a case of primary heart angiosarcoma and its appearance on plain and post-contrast computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in 21-year-old woman. The tumour involved the right atrium, expanded superiorly among the superior vena cava, ascending aorta and innominate vein, and infiltrated the pericardium. The tumour was disseminated into lungs, liver and bones at the time of its clinical presentation.

Production of 3R-hydroxy-polyenoic fatty acids by the yeast Dipodascopsis uninucleata.

Various fatty acids were fed to the yeast Dipodascopsis uninucleata UOFS Y 128, and the extracted samples were analyzed for the accumulation of 3-hydroxy metabolites with the help of electron impact gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Fatty acids containing of 5Z,8Z-diene system (5Z,8Z,11Z-eicosatrienoic, 5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z-eicosatetraenoic, and 5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z-eicosapentaenoic acids) yielded the corresponding 3-hydroxy-all-Z-eicosapolyenoic acids. Moreover, linoleic acid (9Z,12Z-octadecadienoic acid) and 11Z,14Z,17Z-eicosatrienoic acid were converted to the 3-hydorxylated metabolites of shorter chain length, e,g.

Geotrichum candidum P-5 produces an intracellular serine protease resembling chymotrypsin.

A wide range of intra- and extracellular microbial proteases has been studied and characterized. These enzymes are mostly extracellular and in some cases they may resemble 'classical' serine proteases. As part of a programme in which the lipase and protease activities of the fungus Geotrichum candidum are being studied, an intracellular protease with an apparent chymotrypsin-like specificity was detected.

Multiple doses of trandolapril do not affect warfarin pharmacodynamics.

Objective: The effects of multiple doses of trandolapril (a new angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor) on the pharmacodynamics of a single 25 mg dose of warfarin were investigated in 19 men.

Design: A double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design was used. The study consisted of two periods of 13 days each, during which subjects received either trandolapril 2 mg or placebo once daily according to a randomisation plan.

The fine structure of ascospore shape and development in Ceratocystis fimbriata.

Ascospore development in Ceratocystis fimbriata Ell. & Halst. commenced in an eight-nucleate ascus.

Double-blind comparison of the efficacy and safety of trandolapril 2 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg in patients with mild-to-moderate essential hypertension. Investigator Study Group.

This multicenter international trial recruited 205 patients from 16 investigators. After a 4-week, single-blind placebo run-in, patients were randomized to receive 16 weeks of trandolapril 2 mg/day (68 patients), hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) 25 mg/day (68 patients), or the combination (69 patients). Morning predosing supine diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was the primary efficacy measurement.

Antioxidant vitamin supplementation of smoke-exposed rats partially protects against myocardial ischaemic/reperfusion injury.

Our previous studies showed that exposure of rats to limited periods of cigarette smoke resulted in more severe myocardial damage when their hearts were subjected to myocardial ischaemia/reperfusion. The aim of this study was to determine whether supplementation of rats with antioxidant vitamins alpha-tocopherol and beta-carotene was able to protect their hearts against the increase in ischaemia/reperfusion injury caused by smoke-exposure. The parameters measured were mitochondrial oxidative function, cellular levels of alpha-tocopherol and low molecular weight iron (LMWI).

Paired membrane-filament complexes in an acoustic neuroma.

An acoustic neuroma that developed in the posterior fossa of a 43-year-old black man was studied ultrastructurally. Unusual paired membrane-filament complexes were noticed in the cytoplasm of many tumor cells and appeared as multilayered parallel and concentric arrays in various planes of section. The paired membranes were found to be discontinuous with other membrane systems of the tumor cells.

The effect of potassium phosphate, magnesium chloride and T6 as blocking reagents on tissue valve calcification.

Potassium phosphate, Magnesium chloride and T6 as blocking agents on tissue valve calcification have been studied in vitro and in vivo. In vitro tests indicate that untreated leaflets (control group) tend to calcify significantly more than treated leaflets (p less than 0.05).

The seasonal abundance of adult ixodid ticks on Merino sheep in the south-western Orange Free State.

With the exception of October, when no collections were made, adult ticks were collected at weekly intervals from February 1986 to January 1987 from 20 randomly selected sheep out of a flock of 60. Ixodes rubicundus was the most abundant tick and was present from April to September with a peak during May. Hyalomma marginatum rufipes was the next most numerous tick.