Biomedical subjects

A G Costantino

Publications and source records attributed to A G Costantino.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1998

Development of a quantitative vancomycin immunoassay for the Abbott AxSYM analyzer.

A novel fluorescence polarization immunoassay for vancomycin on Abbott AxSYM analyzer is described. The immunoassay allows for the accurate quantification of vancomycin in the presence of the crystalline degradation product (CDP). It displays dilution linearity from 1.0 microg/ml to 100.0 microg/ml, coefficients of variation ranging from 2.94% to 4.26%, recovery from 98% to 105%, and a sensitivity of <2.0 microg/ml. The assay demonstrates no cross-reactivity to crystalline degradation product, and to commonly-prescribed and over-the-counter drugs, as well as a minimum interference from endogenous substances.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Excessive urinary excretion of zinc in drug addicts: a preliminary study during methadone detoxification.

Random samples of urine from control subjects, and subjects treated with methadone (an agonist of morphine) for drug addiction, were analyzed for calcium and trace elements zinc and copper. The following differences (based on creatinine) were observed between the two groups: Calcium excretion did not show any significant differences between the two groups (146 mmg/g creatinine vs. 135 mg/g creatinine vs. 33 +/- 3 micrograms/g creatinine in controls). However, the excretion of copper in drug addicts diminished (23 +/- 3 micrograms/g creatinine in controls; p < 0.05), while that of zinc was excessive (600 +/- 50 micrograms/g creatinine vs. 300 +/- 30 micrograms/g creatinine in controls; p < 0.001). The ever increasing link between zinc and immunity and the fact that drug addicts are susceptible to various infections such as hepatitis and acquired immuno deficiency syndrome raises concern about the excessive urinary loss of zinc in this group and calls for further investigations such as balance studies and intervention if necessary.

Female↗

PubMed1990

Thiamylal: review of the literature and report of a suicide.

A 28-year-old white male medical student was found hanging by the neck from the bathroom closet of a hotel room. An intravenous infusion line leading from a bottle of thiamylal sodium (an ultrashort-acting barbiturate) was inserted into the antecubital vein of the left arm. Blood was analyzed for alcohol and other volatiles and for acidic, basic, and neutral drugs. Only thiamylal was detected. Thiamylal was quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection, and its presence was confirmed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The tissue distribution of thiamylal was 29 mg/L in blood, 1.4 mg/L in urine, 16 mg/L in bile, 135 mg/kg in liver, 25 mg/kg in kidney, and 0.4 mg in the stomach contents. The uptake and distribution of thiamylal is similar to thiopental. The distribution of the drug in this case was compared to that of other fatalities involving ultrashort-acting barbiturates.

Adult↗

PubMed1985

Blood versus bone marrow pentobarbital concentrations.

Postmortem pentobarbital levels in rabbit heart blood and bone marrow were determined and compared. The average ratio of femur marrow/blood pentobarbital concentrations in 24 rabbits was 1.06 +/- 0.05. The average percent difference between actual plasma pentobarbital concentrations and calculated plasma pentobarbital concentrations was 5.82 +/- 1.96. Concentrations were determined by gas chromatography of extracted, derivatized pentobarbital.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Carbon monoxide analysis: a comparison of two co-oximeters and headspace gas chromatography.

Three methods (IL-182 Co-Oximeter, IL-282 Co-Oximeter, and headspace gas chromatography) for the analysis of carbon monoxide in postmortem blood were studied and compared using a prepared reference standard, Quantra control materials, and 62 postmortem blood specimens. The methods compared favorably with one another. The linear regression equations for the 62 postmortem blood samples (range = 1.0 to 86% saturation) were: IL-282 vs. IL-182, y = 1.11x - 3.10, r = 0.981; IL-182 vs. GC, y = 0.88x + 2.97, r = 0.973; IL-282 vs. GC, y = 1.00x - 1.24, r = 0.986.

Carbon Monoxide↗