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PubMed2002

Detection of explosives and their degradation products in soil environments.

Polynitro organic explosives [hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX), octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) and 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT)] are typical labile environmental pollutants that can biotransform with soil indigenous microorganisms, photodegrade by sunlight and migrate through subsurface soil to cause groundwater contamination. To be able to determine the type and concentration of explosives and their (bio)transformation products in different soil environments, a comprehensive analytical methodology of sample preparation, separation and detection is thus required. The present paper describes the use of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2), acetonitrile (MeCN) (US Environmental Protection Agency Method 8330) and solid-phase microextraction (SPME) for the extraction of explosives and their degradation products from various water, soil and plant tissue samples for subsequent analysis by either HPLC-UV, capillary electrophoresis (CE-UV) or GC-MS. Contaminated surface and subsurface soil and groundwater were collected from either a TNT manufacturing facility or an anti-tank firing range. Plant tissue samples were taken fromplants grown in anti-tank firing range soil in a greenhouse experiment. All tested soil and groundwater samples from the former TNT manufacturing plant were found to contain TNT and some of its amino reduced and partially denitrated products. Their concentrations as determined by SPME-GC-MS and LC-UV depended on the location of sampling at the site. In the case of plant tissues, SC-CO2 extraction followed by CE-UV analysis showed only the presence of HMX. The concentrations of HMX (<200 mg/kg) as determined by supercritical fluid extraction (SC-CO2)-CE-UV were comparable to those obtained by MeCN extraction, although the latter technique was found to be more efficient at higher concentrations (>300 mg/kg). Modifiers such as MeCN and water enhanced the SC-CO2 extractability of HMX from plant tissues.

Azocines↗

PubMed1998

Effect of chemical composition of sunflower seed meal on its true metabolizable energy and amino acid digestibility.

The effect of chemical composition of sunflower seed meal (SFSM) on TMEn and true amino acid digestibility (TAAD) was studied. In Experiment 1, the excretion pattern of three SFSM samples force-fed (30 g) to 10 adult cockerels (Hy-Line) each was followed for 84 h to determine the time interval for complete excretion of SFSM. Type of SFSM did not affect the excretion pattern of DM and energy (P=0.438, and P=0.189, respectively). Dry matter and energy excreted every 12 h decreased linear and quadratically (P < 0.001) with collection time. No differences were found from 48 h collection time on. So, an excreta collection period of 48 h was considered adequate for determining the TMEn of SFSM. In Experiment 2, 135 adult cockerels were force-fed to determine the TMEn of 11 samples of SFSM. Type of SFSM affected TMEn (P < 0.001), which ranged from 1,558 to 2,023 kcal/kg DM for SFSM of 31 to 42% CP, respectively. The TMEn was highly correlated (P < 0.001) to hemicellulose (r=-0.90), acid detergent lignin (r=-0.84), neutral detergent fiber (r=-0.82), and CP (r=0.77). Four prediction equations are proposed, the most practical being: TMEn (kcal/kg DM)=2,816.8 - 109.5 hemicellulose (%DM), RSD=70.2. Three out of the 11 samples of SFSM were selected for determining TAAD and the effect of endogenous amino acid correction. The methodology used was that of the TMEn assay, but one more estimation of amino acid endogenous excretion was made using a N-free diet with 85% cornstarch and 15% cellulose. Endogenous amino acid excretion was greater for roosters fed the N-free diet than those deprived of feed, resulting in a higher digestibility (from 0.7 to 2.7%, P < 0.05) only for six amino acids: threonine, valine, alanine, proline, and aspartic and glutamic acids. No interaction was detected (P=0.94) between type of SFSM and method of estimation of endogenous amino acid excretion. The TAAD of SFSM increased significantly (P < 0.001) with the CP content, total TAAD being 86, 88, and 89% for SFSM of 32, 35, and 37% CP, respectively. Attention should be paid when including high fiber-low protein SFSM in poultry diets to balance its lesser digestible amino acids contribution, mainly in lysine (from 0.77 to 1.06% for SFSM of 32 and 37% CP, respectively).

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1996

Childhood asthma complicated by anxiety: an application of cognitive behavioural therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To identify characteristics within the patient and the environment that might be instrumental in triggering and maintaining an episode of asthma in children whose objective lung function tests suggested a less severe exacerbation than the subjective report and behaviour indicated, and also to investigate the efficacy of a cognitive behavioural intervention, using the paradigm of a panic anxiety disorder. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective investigation of 23 case records and psychosocial histories, focusing on the characteristics of the sample and the number of presentations and admissions before and after the intervention, which is described. RESULTS: Children aged 10-12 years predominated. A precipitating event triggered a fear that their condition had deteriorated in the context of a growing understanding that asthma in a child could be fatal. A reduction in presentations and admissions post-intervention is shown. CONCLUSIONS: The paradigm of panic disorder is useful to understand the sudden onset of apparent deterioration in the severity of asthma when objective lung function tests do not support the subjective experience.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Social mobility and personal satisfaction: evidence from ten countries.

This paper examines survey data relating class mobility to satisfaction and dissatisfaction with seven different domains of everyday life among nationally representative samples of men and women living in ten industrialized nations. The evidence is set against competing pessimistic and optimistic accounts of the mobility experience found in earlier literature. Results show that individuals who move from working-class origins to middle-class destinations are no more likely to be systematically satisfied or dissatisfied with life than are the socially immobile or even those downwardly mobile from advantaged backgrounds into the working class. Indeed, in all nations, the overall association between class experience and satisfaction with life is both weak and uneven across the different life-domains. The study also serves to illustrate an important principle of research methodology more generally.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Serum zinc concentrations: contamination from laboratory equipment.

The following experiment was designed because of high serum zinc reported in patients who were reciving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) concentrations. Blood samples were collected, divided into 3 containers: a clean glass control test tube, a vacuum collecting tube with a rubber stopper, and paraffin clot activator. It was found that compared to glass control tubes, vacuum collection with rubber stoppers contributed an average of 76 +/- 14 microgram/dl of zinc as contaminants. Moreover, tubes with a rubber stopper and clot activator contributed 198 +/- 42 microgram/dl of zinc as contaminants. It is concluded that care must be used to avoid trace element contaminants when plasma zinc concentrations are analyzed. Without proper methodology, including selection of the container in which the sample is taken, erroneous results will be reported.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗

PubMed1987

Comparison of chemically dependent and nondependent nurses on familial, personal and professional characteristics.

The characteristics associated with professional impairment due to chemical dependency in nurses are examined. A sample of 139 recovering chemically dependent nurses was compared with a random sample of 384 registered nurses not identified as chemically dependent on familial, personal and professional characteristics. Respondents completed an extensive mailed questionnaire requesting information on demographic variables, family history (past and present), education, employment, medical history, lifestyle characteristics and alcohol- and drug-related behaviors. Significant differences between the two groups were found in gender, familial alcoholism and depression, sexual trauma and functioning, sexual preference, parenthood status, marital history, physical health, depressive illness and alcoholism in spouse. No differences were found in sibling rank, basic nursing education, nursing school class rank, highest educational degree held, academic achievement and length of nursing experience. Recommendations for future study include improved methodology, study of recovery variables and longitudinal follow-up of recovering nurses.

Alcoholism↗

PubMed1986

Methodological investigations on the determination of n-hexane metabolites in urine.

Male Wistar rats were exposed to 1000 ppm n-hexane, and the excreted urinary metabolites were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 1-Hexanol, 2-hexanol, 3-hexanol, 2-hexanone, 2,5-hexanedione, 2,5-dimethyltetrahydrofuran, 2,5-dimethyl-2,3-dihydrofuran and gamma-valerolactone were identified by their retention times and their mass spectra. Quantitative gas chromatographic analyses were performed using an FID. Experiments on the hydrolysis of conjugated n-hexane metabolites revealed that enzymatic hydrolysis (in addition to acid hydrolysis) was not required, as treatment with HCl hydrolyzed conjugates sensitive to acid as well as conjugates sensitive to beta-glucuronidase. By incorporating acid hydrolysis only and by using C18-cartridges for sample extraction, a method was developed that allowed the determination of n-hexane metabolites with a sample preparation time of only 45 min. Assay precision was assessed by repeated analyses of the same urine sample. Coefficients of variation for the individual metabolites ranged from between 1.8 and 3.3.

Air Pollutants↗

PubMed2005

Statistical design of experiments: study of cross-linking process through the phase-resolved photoacoustic method as a multivariable response.

This work presents an add-on result of cross-linking using photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) phases in a multivariable process using the phase-resolved photoacoustic (PRPA) method. The method is tested to separate contributions from groupings -OH, -CH(2)-, -CH(3), and Si-OH overtones in the range from 700 to 2600 nm. Samples of the copolymers ethylene vinyltrimethoxysilane (EVS) and grafted vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTS) on low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were prepared having concentrations (C) of 3, 5, and 7% of catalyst and temperatures (T) of 70, 80, and 90 degrees C. By considering the condensation reaction, the reduction of -OH groups is monitored. The PRPA analysis was carried out using the surface response methodology and results indicated the optimum point for both answers (signal and phase-resolved) and for both factors of interest (C, T). For the copolymers, it was found that C approximately (5.00 +/- 1.14)% and T approximately (82.4 +/- 4.3) degrees C, while for grafted LDPE PE(g) it was found that C approximately (4.92 +/- 0.85)% and T approximately (80.8 +/- 2.5) degrees C. These results agreed with the chemical analysis for gel content, which showed as the optimum point 5% of catalyst and temperature of 80 degrees C. Further, it is an advantage that the photoacoustic method allows one to per- form a nondestructive analysis.

Acoustics↗

PubMed2004

The psychosocial needs of breast cancer survivors; a qualitative study of the shared and unique needs of younger versus older survivors.

Due to improvements in medical treatment and survival following breast cancer, researchers have turned their attention to investigating the needs of breast cancer survivors. There is disagreement about the extent to which survivors continue to experience psychological morbidity after treatment ends. Whilst the majority of women adjust well to breast cancer, some may have continued psychosocial needs. Available research suggests that younger pre-menopausal women are at increased risk of psychological morbidity following breast cancer. The present study aimed to gather preliminary qualitative data on the psychosocial needs of breast cancer survivors and to identify the shared and unique needs of younger versus older survivors. A qualitative methodology was chosen as this was a relatively unexplored area of enquiry. Patients treated for early-stage breast cancer who had completed their hospital-based treatment 6-24 months prior to participation were recruited. Sampling was discontinued when informational redundancy was achieved. Eighteen telephone interviews were conducted. A wide variety of on-going psychosocial and information needs were reported by breast cancer survivors including support needs, psychological needs, practical needs, physical needs and information needs. Younger women reported more needs than their older counterparts. Several needs reported by younger women were directly related to being of younger age or pre-menopausal at the time of diagnosis. Clinical implications are discussed.

Adaptation, Psychological↗

PubMed1990

Optimization of cRNA probe in situ hybridization methodology for localization of glucocorticoid receptor mRNA in rat brain: a detailed protocol.

1. We have described a general ribonucleotide probe in situ hybridization methodology for localization of mRNA in frozen, unfixed tissue sections of brain. 2. The most important steps in obtaining consistent and reproducible autoradiographs with ribonucleotide probes were tissue acetylation and application of the radiolabeled probe to tissue sections under unsealed, glass coverslips. 3. Variability of the hybridization signal in tissue sections has been minimized to achieve a high degree of reproducibility within a given experiment as determined by densitometric analysis of rat glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptor mRNA hybridization autoradiographs. 4. Tissue quality has been optimized for high-resolution anatomical localization of mRNA species by nuclear track emulsion. 5. The protocol is amenable to rapid, batchwise processing of tissue samples.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Stem cell defects after cytoreductive therapy in man.

The study of stem cell defects in man after cytoreductive therapy appears to be of particular importance since hematotoxicity represents the major limiting side effect in many instances. On the other hand, such studies are met by difficult methodological problems. In particular, bone marrow sampling in man cannot be done on a quantitative basis. Furthermore, ethical considerations restrict the sampling of serial bone marrow specimens. We have studied the reaction of hematopoiesis including stem cells in man with the available methods, in particular CFU-GM (CFU-C), CFU-E, and BFU-E in bone marrow (BM) and peripheral blood (PB) during the course of various cytostatic regimens given for adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy of human cancer. Major findings of these studies were The acute reaction of BM stem cells and differentiated BM precursor pools corresponds to the mechanisms known to be effective in animal experiments. The PB CFU-GM may be of particular importance in man in demonstrating long-term derangements. In an attempt at quantification of human BM data, an index was developed from BM spicule morphometry and from standardized BM aspirate cellularity. Stem cell defects in BM and PB were observed that did not show up in the PB counts, in particular after nitrosoureas. Indication of prolonged derangements in stem cells up to five years after chemotherapy were observed after adjuvant therapy for breast cancer. From these data, it appears advisable to study stem cell data in man for newly developed chemotherapeutic regimens in order to minimize early and late side effects on hematopoiesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

International cooperation in analytical chemistry: experience of antidoping control at the XI Pan American Games.

We describe the experience of the international cooperation carried out for antidoping control at the XI Pan American Games. A temporary accreditation was granted by the International Olympic Committee to the accredited laboratory of Barcelona (Spain) to set up a Doping Control Laboratory in Havana. Two other laboratories from Mexico and Cuba contributed personnel, materials, and instrumentation. The main issues associated with the preparation and organization of the project are described. During 16 days, 741 urine samples were tested for stimulants, narcotics, anabolic steroids, beta-blockers, diuretics, cannabinoids, local anesthetics, and human chorionic gonadotropin by gas-liquid chromatography, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, high-performance liquid chromatography, and immunoassay techniques. Analytical methodologies, quality-control strategies, and the main results are reported.

Acebutolol↗

PubMed2005

Problematic determination of serum growth hormone: experience from external quality assurance surveys 1998-2003.

The objective of the present study was to start a new external quality assurance survey (EQAS) for the determination of serum growth hormone (GH) using pooled serum specimens as quality-assurance samples. To give good coverage of multiple forms of GH, the specimens included sera from GH-deficient and acromegalic patients as well as from persons showing a normal response in GH provocation tests. In one survey the quality-control specimens were spiked with exogenous 22-kD GH to obtain some idea of the specificity and GH recovery of the assays. The EQA surveys of 1998-2003 were organized by Labquality of Helsinki in cooperation with three university hospital laboratories in Finland. The number of participating laboratories ranged from 8 to 14. During 1998-2003, gratifying methodological harmonization occurred in the participating group, as the participants switched to the immunometric detection principle, the number of method applications decreasing from 7 to 3. In 1998 the 14 participating laboratories reported five different conversion factors (from microg/l to mU/l), whereas in 2003 7 of the 8 participants reported the same factor. Despite the harmonization trend among participating laboratories, further efforts are needed, because marked method-based differences still exist. This dialogue should include kit manufacturers, laboratory experts, EQA organizations and clinicians using the test results.

Blood Chemical Analysis↗

PubMed1994

Prenatal aneuploidy detection in interphase cells by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

FISH is a quick, inexpensive, accurate, sensitive and relatively specific method for aneuploidy detection in samples of uncultured chorionic villus cells and amniotic fluid cells. FISH allows detection of the autosomal trisomies 13, 18 and 21 and X and Y abnormalities and any other chromosome abnormality for which a specific probe is available. The detection rate of these abnormalities is high in informative samples which have a concordance of > 99.5% with cytogenetic results. A relatively high number of abnormal cases are found in uninformative samples. However, such samples should be regarded as samples to be investigated further. Clinical experience with the use of FISH for prenatal diagnosis is now beyond 10,000 cases; a number of clinical protocols and smaller trials have also been carried out, resulting in 90% of attempted analyses giving informative results with a high detection rate and extraordinarily low false-positive and false-negative rates. Unsolved problems remain, such as occasional technical failures, admixtures of maternal blood and up to 20% uninformative scoring results, especially for abnormal specimens. FISH is at present used as an adjunct to classical cytogenetic analysis. However, this should not be interpreted as meaning that FISH could not be used as a methodology in its own right. If FISH were to be considered a diagnostic test then this might be the case, due to the risk of false-negative and false-positive results and the fact that FISH does not allow a diagnosis of certain structural abnormalities. If, on the other hand, FISH is considered a screening test, which means that in all abnormal (or indeterminate) cases, classical cytogenetic analysis would follow the abnormal screening test, the accuracy which is potentially higher than for other screening methods, for example in cases of trisomy 21, justifies FISH as a prenatal screening test in its own right.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMed2005

Personality and reports of suicide ideation among depressed adults 50 years of age or older.

BACKGROUND: Accuracy in patient reports of suicide ideation is a concern in clinical assessment, given that some patients deny suicide ideation even when suicidal. Despite this concern, there is little research on the psychological processes driving reported suicide ideation in at-risk patients. METHODS: A cross-sectional design was used to examine the association of personality and suicide ideation in a clinical sample of 134 depressed adults 50 years and older. Patients completed a structured diagnostic interview, an interviewer-rated measure of current suicide ideation and self-report measures of personality (NEO-Personality Inventory Revised; NEO-PI-R) and hopelessness. The main outcome variable in logistic regression analyses was suicide ideator status; covariates included comorbid psychopathology, hopelessness and physical illness burden. Predictors were Neuroticism and Openness to Experience (OTE) scores on the NEO-PI-R. RESULTS: Elevated OTE and neuroticism were associated with suicide ideation in unadjusted analyses; OTE was also associated with suicide ideation in adjusted regression analyses. LIMITATIONS: This study used a cross-sectional methodology with depressed patients 50 years or older; it is possible that patients' depression severity may have influenced their responses to personality measures. Prospective studies of personality vulnerability to future suicide ideation are warranted. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated neuroticism increases the likelihood of reporting suicide ideation, just as it may enhance risk for suicidal behavior and death by suicide. The pattern for openness is markedly different. Although elevated openness increases the likelihood of reporting suicide ideation, previous research has shown that it may decrease risk of death by suicide, suggesting that the personality-mediated expression of suicide ideation may be adaptive in certain contexts. In contrast, low levels of openness may mute reports of suicide ideation in at-risk patients and confer risk for poor outcomes by potentially undermining clinician vigilance.

Aged↗

PubMed1988

Recovery of DNA from soils and sediments.

Experiments were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of two different methodological approaches for recovering DNA from soil and sediment bacterial communities: cell extraction followed by lysis and DNA recovery (cell extraction method) versus direct cell lysis and alkaline extraction to recover DNA (direct lysis method). Efficiency of DNA recovery by each method was determined by spectrophotometric absorbance and using a tritiated thymidine tracer. With both procedures, the use of polyvinylpolypyrrolidone was important for the removal of humic compounds to improve the purity of the recovered DNA; without extensive purification, various restriction enzymes failed to cut added target DNA. Milligram quantities of high-purity DNA were recovered from 100-g samples of both soils and sediments by the direct lysis method, which was a greater than 1-order-of-magnitude-higher yield than by the cell extraction method. The ratio of labeled thymidine to total DNA, however, was higher in the DNA recovered by the cell extraction method. than by the direct lysis method, suggesting that the DNA recovered by the cell extraction method came primarily from active bacterial cells, whereas that recovered by the direct lysis method may have contained DNA from other sources.

Cell Separation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Psychotraumatic reactions in participants and non-participants in warfare--members of a special unit].

The investigation was performed on a sample of members of a special parachute unit, aged 25-30 years. During combat activities in the territory of former Yugoslavia, in the period of 1991-92, they were exposed to intensive stress and psychotraumatic events which could have detrimental influence on personality and psychological functions, most frequently causing posttraumatic stress disorder. The results of investigation showed that in spite of numerous traumatic experiences, psychological stability and professional efficiency could be maintained in specially selected individuals with appropriate personality structure, who were particularly motivated and included in so-called elite units, which show high degree of group cohesion and mutual support. This investigation used for the first time the methodology, most frequently recommended in literature as standard for follow up and early diagnosis of psychological disorders caused by traumatic stress in war or everyday life. Practical value of the used methodology, which included the list of stress-inducing events, the scale of influence of stress-events and the interview for posttraumatic stress disorder, was confirmed.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Identification of the actual experiencing of pain. Methodological basis for an evaluation].

FUNDAMENTALS: The doctors don't have reliable instruments in order to detect the painful experience in a patient with intention of deceiving. The objective of this investigation is the development of an instrument that helps the doctors on that task. METHOD: The investigation is based on that the pain is not possible to evoke. A patient that doesn't feel pain, really, will introduce the modifications characteristic of all memory when requests you that he/she describe the pain that says feel. The will of deceit will also distort their description. A discriminant analysis will detect the difference between the description of a pain that is not present and another that yes it are, and between the sincere descriptions of the deceiving one. RESULTS: The descriptions of the pain carried out by two different samples of nursing students have been studied with a list of pair of antonym adjectives (Osgood's semantic differential). A subgroup of the first sample described a pain that they suffered in the same moment of description, and the other subgroup described a suffering pain some days before. In the other sample, a subgroup made a sincere description of their pain and other subgroup described the pain with will of deceiving the interviewer. The investigation has provided two discriminant models. A discriminant model differentiates between a present and another remembered pain (sensibility: 0.75; specificity: 0.85; kappa reliability: 0.60; p < 0.000000001; probability of success p: 89%). The other discriminant model differentiates between a description of a pain with will of deceiving and another pain described sincerely (sensibility: 0.94; specificity: 0.95; kappa reliability: 0.89; p < 0.000000001; probability of success p: 97%). CONCLUSIONS: The results of this investigation seem to demonstrate that it is possible to discriminate between the descriptions of real pains and the suspicious pains of not being real, and that also one is able to discriminate between pains described with will of deceit and pains described sincerely. These discriminant models allows to classify the description of the subjects in four groups: "liars", "sincere", "magnifiers", and "psychogenic". However, it is necessary still carry out more effort of investigation so that these results could be replied in patients that suffer pain.

Adult↗