Polarographic study and electrode kinetics of [Zn(II) - antibiotics - cephaloglycin] system vis a vis kinetics of electrode reactions

Electrode kinetics and complex formation of Zn(II) using doxycycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, minocycline, amoxicillin, chloramphenicol and cephaloglycin were reported at pH = 7.30 ± 0.01 in = 1.0 molL-1 NaClO4 used as supporting electrolyte at 25.0°C. Kinetic parameters viz. transfer coefficient (α), degree of irreversibility (λ) and rate constant (k) were determined. The study showed that 'Transition state' behaves between reactant (O) and product (R) response to applied potential. The stability constants varied from 2.14 to 10.31 showing that these drugs or their complexes could be used against Zn toxicity.

Electrochemical study and dependence of 'transition state' in Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes with some antibiotics and cephalothin

Electrode kinetics and study of 'transition state' with applied potential in case of [M - antibiotics - cephalothin] system were reported at pH = 7.30 ± 0.01 at suitable supporting electrolyte at 25.0ºC. The M = Co or Ni and antibiotics were doxycycline, chlortetracycline, oxytetracycline, tetracycline, minocycline, amoxicillin and chloramphenicol used as primary ligands and cephalothin as secondary ligand. Kinetic parameters viz. transfer coefficient (a), degree of irreversibility (l), diffusion coefficient (D) and rate constant (k) were determined. The values of a and k varied from 0.41 to 0.59 and 2.60 X 10-3 cm s-1 to 9.67 X 10-3 cm s-1 in case of [Co - antibiotics - cephalothin] system. In case of [Ni - antibiotics - cephalothin], a and k varied from 0.41 to 0.58 and 2.34 X 10-3 cm s-1 to 9.19 X 10-3 cm s-1 respectively confirmed that transition state behaves between oxidant and reductant response to applied potential and it adjusts it self in such a way that the same is located midway between dropping mercury electrode and solution interface. The values of rate constant confirmed the quasireversible nature of electrode processes. The stability constants (logb) of complexes were also determined.

On-line preconcentration system using a microcolumn packed with Alizarin Red S-modified alumina for zinc determination by flame atomic absorption spectrometry

A simple and sensitive on-line flow injection system for determination of zinc with FAAS has been described. The method is based on the separation and preconcentration of zinc on a microcolumn of immobilized Alizarin Red S on alumina. The adsorbed analyte is then eluted with 250 µL of nitric acid (1 mol L-1) and is transported to flame atomic absorption spectrometer for quantification. The effect of pH, sample and eluent flow rates and presence of various cations and anions on the retention of zinc was investigated. The sorption of zinc was quantitative in the pH range of 5.5-8.5. For a sample volume of 25 mL an enrichment factor of 144 and a detection limit (3S) of 0.2 µg L-1 was obtained. The precision (RSD, n=7) was 3.0% at the 20 µg L-1 level. The developed system was successfully applied to the determination of zinc in water samples, hair, urine and saliva.

COMPARISON BETWEEN AUTOMATED SYSTEM AND PCR-BASED METHOD FOR IDENTIFICATION AND ANTIMICROBIAL SUSCEPTIBILITY PROFILE OF CLINICAL Enterococcus spp

Enterococci are increasingly responsible for nosocomial infections worldwide. This study was undertaken to compare the identification and susceptibility profile using an automated MicrosScan system, PCR-based assay and disk diffusion assay of Enterococcus spp. We evaluated 30 clinical isolates of Enterococcus spp. Isolates were identified by MicrosScan system and PCR-based assay. The detection of antibiotic resistance genes (vancomycin, gentamicin, tetracycline and erythromycin) was also determined by PCR. Antimicrobial susceptibilities to vancomycin (30 µg), gentamicin (120 µg), tetracycline (30 µg) and erythromycin (15 µg) were tested by the automated system and disk diffusion method, and were interpreted according to the criteria recommended in CLSI guidelines. Concerning Enterococcus identification the general agreement between data obtained by the PCR method and by the automatic system was 90.0% (27/30). For all isolates of E. faecium and E. faecalis we observed 100% agreement. Resistance frequencies were higher in E. faecium than E. faecalis. The resistance rates obtained were higher for erythromycin (86.7%), vancomycin (80.0%), tetracycline (43.35) and gentamicin (33.3%). The correlation between disk diffusion and automation revealed an agreement for the majority of the antibiotics with category agreement rates of > 80%. The PCR-based assay, the van(A) gene was detected in 100% of vancomycin resistant enterococci. This assay is simple to conduct and reliable in the identification of clinically relevant enterococci. The data obtained reinforced the need for an improvement of the automated system to identify some enterococci.

Copper, zinc and manganese in soils of two watersheds in Santa Catarina with intensive use of pig slurry

Systematic pig slurry application to crop soils may lead to the accumulation of heavy metals in regions with intensive pig raising. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accumulation of Cu, Zn and Mn in soils under systematic pig slurry application. For this purpose, soil samples were collected from two of the most representative watersheds of Santa Catarina where the predominant activity is pig raising. In each watershed, 12 properties were chosen to evaluate the different systems of pig husbandry (complete cycle (CC), farrowing (FaU) and finishing units (FiU)). Based on information of the producers, soil samples were collected in areas with and without systematic manure application. To determine the total Cu, Zn and Mn content in soils and manure, a methodology proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States (USEPA), method nº 3050B, was used. For the available heavy metal content, Cu and Zn was extracted with HCl 0.1 mol L-1 and Mn with KCl 1 mol L-1. Data were subjected to multivariate analysis, using the canonical discriminant analysis to identify the metals that best differentiate the soils studied within each swine housing system. Successive pig slurry applications cause an increase in Cu, Zn and Mn availability in the soil and this indicates the need for monitoring of the metal concentrations over time. The critical values of Cu in the soil can be reached and exceeded more rapidly than Zn. The results showed that the soil type may be one of the attribute underlying the determination of public policies in pig raising and waste management because soils such as Inceptisols were shown to be more prone to possible contamination since they may more rapidly reach total critical Cu levels.

Simultaneous determination of Cd and Pb in antibiotics used in sugar-cane fermentation process by GFAAS

A method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of Cd and Pb in antibiotics used in sugar-cane fermentation by GFAAS. The integrated platform of transversely heated graphite atomizer was treated with tungsten to form a coating of tungsten carbide. Six samples of commercial solid antibiotics were analyzed by injecting 20 µL of digested samples into the pretreated graphite platform with co-injection of 5 µL of 1000 mg L-1 Pd as chemical modifier. Samples were mineralized in a closed-vessel microwave-assisted acid-digestion system using nitric acid plus hydrogen peroxide. The pyrolysis and atomization temperatures of the heating program of the atomizer were selected as 600°C and 2200°C, respectively. The calculated characteristic mass for Cd and Pb was 1.6 pg and 42 pg, respectively. Limits of detection (LOD) based on integrated absorbance were 0.02 µg L-1 Cd and 0.7 µg L-1 Pb and the relative standard deviations (n = 10) for Cd and Pb were 5.7% and 8.0%, respectively. The recoveries of Cd and Pb added to the digested samples varied from 91% to 125% (Cd) and 80% to 112% (Pb).

Spectrophotometric determination of metronidazole through Schiff's base system using vanillin and PDAB reagents in pharmaceutical preparations

Two simple sensitive and reproducible spectrophotometric methods have been developed for the determination of metronidazole either in pure form or in their tablets. The proposed methods are based on the reduction of the nitro group to amino group of the drug. The reduction of metronidazole was carried out with zinc powder and 5 N hydrochloric acid at room temperature in methanol. The resulting amine was then subjected to a condensation reaction with aromatic aldehyde namely, vanillin and p-dimethyl amino benzaldehyde (PDAB) to yield yellow colored Schiff's bases. The formed Schiff's bases are quantified spectrophotometrically at their absorption maxima at 422 nm for vanillin and 494 nm for PDAB. Beer's law was obeyed in the concentration ranges 10 to 65 µg mL-1 and 5 to 40 µg mL-1 with a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.080 µg mL-1 and 0.090 µg mL-1 for vanillin and PDAB, respectively. The mean percentage recoveries were found to be 100.05 ± 0.37 and 99.01 ± 0.76 for the two methods respectively. The proposed methods were successfully applied to determine the metronidazole in their tablet formulations and the results compared favorably to that of reference methods. The proposed methods are recommended for quality control and routine analysis.

Spectrophotometric flow injection system for determination of Zn2+ in ophthalmic formulations using Alizarin red S

A spectrophotometric flow injection method for the determination of Zn(II) in ophthalmic formulations was developed. In this work, Zn(II) ion was complexed with Alizarin red S in borate buffer solution (pH 9.0) and the chromophore produced was monitored at 520 nm. The analytical curve was linear in the Zn(II) concentration range from 6.05 x 10-6 to 1.50 x 10-4 mol L-1 with a detection limit of 3.60 x 10-6 mol L-1. Recoveries ranged from 96.3 to 105 % and a relative standard deviation of 1.2 % (n = 10) for 5.5x10-5 mol L-1 Zn(II) reference solution were obtained. The sampling rate was 60 h-1 and the results obtained of Zn(II) in ophthalmic products using this procedure are in close agreement with those obtained using a comparative spectrophotometric procedure at 95 % confidence level.

Antinociceptive potency of aminoglycoside antibiotics and magnesium chloride: a comparative study on models of phasic and incisional pain in rats

A close relationship exists between calcium concentration in the central nervous system and nociceptive processing. Aminoglycoside antibiotics and magnesium interact with N- and P/Q-type voltage-operated calcium channels. In the present study we compare the antinociceptive potency of intrathecal administration of aminoglycoside antibiotics and magnesium chloride in the tail-flick test and on incisional pain in rats, taken as models of phasic and persistent post-surgical pain, respectively. The order of potency in the tail-flick test was gentamicin (ED50 = 3.34 µg; confidence limits 2.65 and 4.2) > streptomycin (5.68 µg; 3.76 and 8.57) = neomycin (9.22 µg; 6.98 and 12.17) > magnesium (19.49 µg; 11.46 and 33.13). The order of potency to reduce incisional pain was gentamicin (ED50 = 2.06 µg; confidence limits 1.46 and 2.9) > streptomycin (47.86 µg; 26.3 and 87.1) = neomycin (83.17 µg; 51.6 and 133.9). The dose-response curves for each test did not deviate significantly from parallelism. We conclude that neomycin and streptomycin are more potent against phasic pain than against persistent pain, whereas gentamicin is equipotent against both types of pain. Magnesium was less potent than the antibiotics and effective in the tail-flick test only.

Nitric oxide release from the S-nitrosothiol zinc phthalocyanine complex by flash photolysis

The photogeneration of nitric oxide (NO) using laser flash photolysis was investigated for S-nitroso-glutathione (GSNO) and S-nitroso-N-acetylcysteine (NacySNO) at pH 6.4 (PBS/HCl) and 7.4 (PBS). Irradiation of S-nitrosothiol with light (lambda = 355 nm followed by absorption spectroscopy) resulted in the homolytic decomposition of NacySNO and GSNO to generate radicals (GS· and NacyS·) and NO. The release of NO from donor compounds measured with an ISO-Nometer apparatus was larger at pH 7.4 than pH 6.4. NacySNO was also incorporated into dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine liposomes in the presence and absence of zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPC), a well-known photosensitizer useful for photodynamic therapy. Liposomes are usually used as carriers for hydrophobic compounds such as ZnPC. Inclusion of ZnPC resulted in a decrease in NO liberation in liposomal medium. However, there was a synergistic action of both photosensitizers and S-nitrosothiols resulting in the formation of other reactive species such as peroxynitrite, which is a potent oxidizing agent. These data show that NO release depends on pH and the medium, as well as on the laser energy applied to the system. Changes in the absorption spectrum were monitored as a function of light exposure.

Climate governance in an international system under conservative hegemony: the role of major powers

In the last five years, climate change has been established as a central civilizational driver of our time. As a result of this development, the most diversified social processes - as well as the fields of science which study them - have had their dynamics altered. In International Relations, this double challenge could be explained as follows: 1) in empirical terms, climate change imposes a deepening of cooperation levels on the international community, considering the global common character of the atmosphere; and 2) to International Relations as a discipline, climate change demands from the scientific community a conceptual review of the categories designed to approach the development of global climate governance. The goal of this article is to discuss in both conceptual and empirical terms the structure of global climate change governance, through an exploratory research, aiming at identifying the key elements that allow understanding its dynamics. To do so, we rely on the concept of climate powers. This discussion is grounded in the following framework: we now live in an international system under conservative hegemony that is unable to properly respond to the problems of interdependence, among which - and mainly -, the climate issue.

Between system maker and privileges taker: the role of China in the Greater Mekong Sub-region

Utilizing China's leadership projects in the Great Mekong Sub-Region (GMS) as a case study, this paper aims to investigate whether China qualifies as an international leader. This work argues that its geographic position and economic rise allow China to be a "system maker and privilege taker," which is a dual role forming in economic-political relations in the GMS in the last ten years. China is among major driving forces to set up an economic zone in GMS. Growing Chinese regional power is intimately related to the creation of various hubs connecting regional transportation, communication and energy systems that foster the economic development of this region. However, China also proves dark sides of rising powers which take advantage of their privileges to gain benefits. As a "system maker" with its own position and capability, China has notably benefited from building hydropower systems. More importantly, while China is pursuing its benefits and privileges, its hydropower projects have caused some negative effects for the ecosystem in the region. The inflation of dam constructions in both China and GMS countries is raising concerns about using natural resources of the Mekong River. Our concluding part addresses the pressing need to start a serious discussion on the balance between national interests and regional solidarity within the formulation of Chinese foreign policy in GMS.

Environmental issues and international relations, a new global (dis)order - the role of International Relations in promoting a concerted international system

Is it possible to talk about the rise of a new global (dis)order founded on the challenges posed by environmental issues? Through the review of the state of the art on the subject, this article analyzes the growing importance of the environment, and natural resources in particular, in international relations; and aims to raise awareness among International Relations scholars to the potential positive impact of the development of the discipline in integration with global environmental change studies.

Evaluation of respiratory parameters in minimally processed lettuce grown under organic or conventional system

The increased preference for minimally processed vegetables has been attributed to the health benefits associated with fresh produce and the demand for ready-to-eat salads. In this paper, lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) was evaluated for the effects of different cropping systems on the respiratory properties. Lettuce was packaged in low density polyethylene bags and stored in a refrigerator at 4 ºC. The concentration of carbon dioxide and oxygen inside the package was monitored during the storage at zero, three, six, eight, ten and twelve days by gas chromatography. Dry matter variation was measured gravimetrically up to day fourteen of storage. Values of respiratory rate for conventional lettuce increased from day 1 to 3 and remained low, while respiratory rate of the organic lettuce increased three-fold up to day 8, stabilizing at a high level. Variation in dry matter during storage also resulted from differences between the two cultivation systems. The highest content of dry matter was achieved by organic lettuce.