Urinary di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate metabolites for detecting transfusion of autologous blood stored in plasticizer-free bags.

BACKGROUND: Autologous blood transfusion (ABT) efficiently increases sport performance and is the most challenging doping method to detect. Current methods for detecting this practice center on the plasticizer di(2-ethlyhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), which enters the stored blood from blood bags. Quantification of this plasticizer and its metabolites in urine can detect the transfusion of autologous blood stored in these bags. However, DEHP-free blood bags are available on the market, including n-butyryl-tri-(n-hexyl)-citrate (BTHC) blood bags. Athletes may shift to using such bags to avoid the detection of urinary DEHP metabolites. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A clinical randomized double-blinded two-phase study was conducted of healthy male volunteers who underwent ABT using DEHP-containing or BTHC blood bags. All subjects received a saline injection for the control phase and a blood donation followed by ABT 36 days later. Kinetic excretion of five urinary DEHP metabolites was quantified with liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: Surprisingly, considerable levels of urinary DEHP metabolites were observed up to 1 day after blood transfusion with BTHC blood bags. The long-term metabolites mono-(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate and mono-(2-carboxymethylhexyl) phthalate were the most sensitive biomarkers to detect ABT with BTHC blood bags. Levels of DEHP were high in BTHC bags (6.6%), the tubing in the transfusion kit (25.2%), and the white blood cell filter (22.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The BTHC bag contained DEHP, despite being labeled DEHP-free. Urinary DEHP metabolite measurement is a cost-effective way to detect ABT in the antidoping field even when BTHC bags are used for blood storage.

Solitary pulmonary nodule and 18F-FDG PET/CT. Part 2: accuracy, cost-effectiveness, and current recommendations

Abstract A solitary pulmonary nodule is a common, often incidental, radiographic finding. The investigation and differential diagnosis of solitary pulmonary nodules remain complex, because there are overlaps between the characteristics of benign and malignant processes. There are currently many strategies for evaluating solitary pulmonary nodules. The main objective is to identify benign lesions, in order to avoid exposing patients to the risks of invasive methods, and to detect cases of lung cancer accurately, in order to avoid delaying potentially curative treatment. The focus of this study was to review the evaluation of solitary pulmonary nodules, to discuss the current role of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography, addressing its accuracy and cost-effectiveness, and to detail the current recommendations for the examination in this scenario.

Performance and Methodological Aspects in Positron Emission Tomography

Performance standards for Positron emission tomography (PET) were developed to be able to compare systems from different generations and manufacturers. This resulted in the NEMA methodology in North America and the IEC in Europe. In practices, the NEMA NU 2- 2001 is the method of choice today. These standardized methods allow assessment of the physical performance of new commercial dedicated PET/CT tomographs. The point spread in image formation is one of the factors that blur the image. The phenomenon is often called the partial volume effect. Several methods for correcting for partial volume are under research but no real agreement exists on how to solve it. The influence of the effect varies in different clinical settings and it is likely that new methods are needed to solve this problem. Most of the clinical PET work is done in the field of oncology. The whole body PET combined with a CT is the standard investigation today in oncology. Despite the progress in PET imaging technique visualization, especially quantification of small lesions is a challenge. In addition to partial volume, the movement of the object is a significant source of error. The main causes of movement are respiratory and cardiac motions. Most of the new commercial scanners are in addition to cardiac gating, also capable of respiratory gating and this technique has been used in patients with cancer of the thoracic region and patients being studied for the planning of radiation therapy. For routine cardiac applications such as assessment of viability and perfusion only cardiac gating has been used. However, the new targets such as plaque or molecular imaging of new therapies require better control of the cardiac motion also caused by respiratory motion. To overcome these problems in cardiac work, a dual gating approach has been proposed. In this study we investigated the physical performance of a new whole body PET/CT scanner with NEMA standard, compared methods for partial volume correction in PET studies of the brain and developed and tested a new robust method for dual cardiac-respiratory gated PET with phantom, animal and human data. Results from performance measurements showed the feasibility of the new scanner design in 2D and 3D whole body studies. Partial volume was corrected, but there is no best method among those tested as the correction also depends on the radiotracer and its distribution. New methods need to be developed for proper correction. The dual gating algorithm generated is shown to handle dual-gated data, preserving quantification and clearly eliminating the majority of contraction and respiration movement

A técnica da reflectância difusa aplicada ao estudo da fluorescência de 2,3-naftalimidas n-substituídas com grupos alquila incluídas em b-ciclodextrina e adsorvidas em celulose microcristalina

The solution fluorescence of N-alkyl-2,3-naphthalimides (1-4) in polar protic and aprotic solvents was compared to the emission from solid samples resulting from the imide complexation with b-cyclodextrin or adsorption on the surface of microcrystalline cellulose. Solid samples of the inclusion complex 2,3-naphthalimides/b-cyclodextrin show maximum for fluorescence emission significantly different to the observed in methanolic solution. Beside this, a clear effect on the alkyl chain length could be observed for these samples which is probably due to differences in probe location inside the cyclodextrin cavity. The constancy for fluorescence quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime for the imides 1 - 4 adsorbed on microcrystalline cellulose suggests that, independently of the polarity of the solvent used for sample preparation, the probe is preferentially located on the cellulose surface. An increase of fluorescence quantum yield and fluorescence lifetime for solid samples, when compared to the values obtained in solution for the different solvents employed in this study (acetonitrile, methanol and water), is fully in accordance with a decrease of the probe mobility due to inclusion in b-cyclodextrin or to adsorption on cellulose.

Nanoparticle Labels in Bioaffinity Assays

Nanoparticles offer adjustable and expandable reactive surface area compared to the more traditional solid phase forms utilized in bioaffinity assays due to the high surface to-volume ratio. The versatility of nanoparticles is further improved by the ability to incorporate various molecular complexes such as luminophores into the core. Nanoparticle labels composed of polystyrene, silica, inorganic crystals doped with high number of luminophores, preferably lanthanide(III) complexes, are employed in bioaffinity assays. Other label species such as semiconductor crystals (quantum dots) or colloidal gold clusters are also utilized. The surface derivatization of such particles with biomolecules is crucial for the applicability to bioaffinity assays. The effectiveness of a coating is reliant on the biomolecule and particle surface characteristics and the selected coupling technique. The most critical aspects of the particle labels in bioaffinity assays are their size-dependent features. For polystyrene, silica and inorganic phosphor particles, these include the kinetics, specific activity and colloidal stability. For quantum dots and gold colloids, the spectral properties are also dependent on particle size. This study reports the utilization of europium(III)-chelate-embedded nanoparticle labels in the development of bioaffinity assays. The experimental covers both the heterogeneous and homogeneous assay formats elucidating the wide applicability of the nanoparticles. It was revealed that the employment of europium(III) nanoparticles in heterogeneous assays for viral antigens, adenovirus hexon and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), resulted in sensitivity improvement of 10-1000 fold compared to the reference methods. This improvement was attributed to the extreme specific activity and enhanced monovalent affinity of the nanoparticles conjugates. The applicability of europium(III)-chelate-doped nanoparticles to homogeneous assay formats were proved in two completely different experimental settings; assays based on immunological recognition or proteolytic activity. It was shown that in addition to small molecule acceptors, particulate acceptors may also be employed due to the high specific activity of the particles promoting proximity-induced reabsorptive energy transfer in addition to non-radiative energy transfer. The principle of proteolytic activity assay relied on a novel dual-step FRET concept, wherein the streptavidin-derivatized europium(III)-chelate-doped nanoparticles were used as donors for peptide substrates modified with biotin and terminal europium emission compliant primary acceptor and a secondary quencher acceptor. The recorded sensitized emission was proportional to the enzyme activity, and the assay response to various inhibitor doses was in agreement with those found in literature showing the feasibility of the technique. Experiments regarding the impact of donor particle size on the extent of direct donor fluorescence and reabsorptive excitation interference in a FRET-based application was conducted with differently sized europium(III)-chelate-doped nanoparticles. It was shown that the size effect was minimal

Dimensioning DC-voltage capacitor for a DC-distribution system and dynamic analysis

Technical analysis of Low Voltage Direct Current (LVDC) distribution systems shows that in LVDC transmission the customer voltage quality is higher. One of the problems in LVDC distribution networks that converters both ends of the DC line are required. Because of the converters produce not pure DC voltage, but some fluctuations as well, the huge electrolytic capacitors are required to reduce voltage distortions in the DC-side. This thesis master’s thesis is focused on calculating required DC-link capacitance for LVDC transmission and estimation of the influence of different parameters on the voltage quality. The goal is to investigate the methods of the DC-link capacitance estimation and location in the transmission line.

Ultra-trace monitoring of copper in environmental and biological samples by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry after separation and preconcentration by using octadecyl silica membrane disks modified by a new schiff's base

Ultra-trace amounts of Cu(II) were separated and preconcentrated by solid phase extraction on octadecyl-bonded silica membrane disks modified with a new Schiff,s base (Bis- (2-Hydroxyacetophenone) -2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propanediimine) (SBTD) followed by elution and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometric detection. The method was applied as a separation and detection method for copper(II) in environmental and biological samples. Extraction efficiency and the influence of sample matrix, flow rate, pH, and type and minimum amount of stripping acid were investigated. The concentration factor and detection limit of the proposed method are 500 and 12.5 pg mL-1, respectively.

Síntese, caracterização e propriedades espectroscópicas de criptatos de lantanídeo do tipo [LnÌ(bipy)2py(CO2Et) 2(3+)]

This work reports on the synthesis, characterization (infrared and hidrogen nmr spectra) and photophysical properties (luminescence spectra and emission quantum yield) of the lanthanide cryptates [LnÌ(bipy)2py(CO2Et) 2]3+ with Ln = Eu3+, Tb3+ or Gd3+, which can be applied as efficient Light-Conversion-Molecular-Devices. From emission spectra of [EuÌ(bipy)2py(CO2Et) 2]3+ it was possible to assign C3 symmetry to the metal ion. The spectroscopic studies show a higher emission quantum yield (q=25%) for [TbÌ(bipy)2py(CO2Et) 2]3+ in aqueous solution, whereas the europium cryptate presents q=14%. This is justified by a more efficient energy transfer between triplet and emission levels of terbium (T->5D4).

DC Boost Stage in Photovoltaic Systems

The performance of Grid connected Photovoltaic System working with DCBoost stage is investigated. The DC-Boost Converter topology is deduced from three phase half controlled bridge and controlled by Sliding Mode Control. Due to the fact that Grid connected Photovoltaic System includes Solar cells as a DC source and inverter for grid connection, those are under the scope of this research as well. The advantages of using MPPT are analyzed. The system is simulated in Matlab-Simulink™ environment.

X-ray and radio observations of RX J1826.2-1450/LS 5039

RX J1826.2-1450/LS 5039 has been recently proposed to be a radio emitting high mass X-ray binary. In this paper, we present an analysis of its X-ray timing and spectroscopic properties using different instruments on board the RXTE satellite. The timing analysis indicates the absence of pulsed or periodic emission on time scales of 0.02-2000 s and 2-200 d, respectively. The source spectrum is well represented by a power-law model, plus a Gaussian component describing a strong iron line at 6.6 keV. Significant emission is seen up to 30 keV, and no exponential cut-off at high energy is required. We also study the radio properties of the system according to the GBI-NASA Monitoring Program. RX J1826.2-1450/LS 5039 continues to display moderate radio variability with a clearly non-thermal spectral index. No strong radio outbursts have been detected after several months.

Positron emission tomography in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic and neuroendocrine tumors

Tutkimuksen tausta ja tavoitteet: Viimeaikaisesta perinteisten kuvantamismenetelmien kehityksestä huolimatta sekä haima- että neuroendokriinisten (NE) kasvaimien diagnostiikka on haastavaa. Uudentyyppinen kuvantamismenetelmä, fuusio positroniemissiotomografia-tietokonetomografia (PET/TT), on lupaava näiden kasvainten erotusdiagnostiikassa ja levinneisyyden arvioinnissa. Huolimatta alustavista lupaavista tutkimustuloksista, PET/TT:n rooli on toistaiseksi vielä epäselvä sekä haima- että NE-kasvaimissa eikä se näin ollen ole vakiintunut kliiniseen hoitokäytäntöön. Väitöskirjatyön tavoitteena oli selvittää PET/TT -menetelmän käyttökelpoisuutta haima- ja NE-kasvaimien diagnostiikassa. Kahden ensimmäisen osatyön prospektiivisessa tutkimuksessa potilaat, joilla epäiltiin haimakasvainta, kuvannettiin PET/TT:llä käyttäen merkkiaineena fluorideoxyglukoosia (¹⁸F-FDG) kasvaimen aineenvaihdunnan arvioimiseksi ja kasvaimen verenvirtausta arviointiin käyttäen merkkiaineena radiovettä (¹⁵O-H₂O). Kolmen muun osatyön tavoitteena oli selvittää dihydroxyfenylalaniini (18F-DOPA) PET -menetelmää erilaisten NE-kasvaimien diagnostiikassa ja levinneisyyden arvioinnissa. Tulokset: Haimakasvaimien ensivaiheen diagnostiikassa ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/TT:llä oli korkeampi diagnostinen tarkkuus verrattuna titokoneleike- (TT) ja magneettikuvantamiseen (MK) (89% vs. 76% ja 79%). Etenkin pahanlaatuiseksi epäillyn sappitiehytahtauman erotusdiagnostiikassa ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/TT:n positiivinen ennustearvo (92%) oli korkea. Haimasyövän levinneisyyden arvioinnissa ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/TT:n herkkyys oli huono (30%) paikallisen taudin osoittamisessa. Sen sijaan etäpesäkkeiden osoittamisessa ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/TT oli merkittävästi herkempi menetelmä verrattuna TT ja magneettikuvantamiseen (88% vs. 38%). Verrattaessa erilaisten haimakasvaimien ja normaalin haimakudoksen aineenvaihduntaa ja verenvirtausta, aineenvaihdunta/verenvirtaus suhde oli merkittävästi korkeampi pahanlaatuisissa haimakasvaimissa (P<0.05). Lisäksi kasvaimen korkea aineenvaihdunta/verenvirtaus suhde viittasi huonompaan taudin ennusteeseen. ¹⁸F-DOPA-PET löysi seitsemän kahdeksasta insulinoomasta ja oli positiivinen myös kahdella potilaalla, joilla todettiin haiman saarakesoluhyperplasia. Perustuen alustaviin tuloksiin, rutiinikäytössä oleva karbidopa esilääke ennen ¹⁸F-DOPA-PET kuvantamista peitti insulinooma löydöksen kahdella potilaalla kolmesta. NE-kasvaiminen diagnostiikassa 82 potilaan aineisto osoitti ¹⁸F-DOPA PET kuvantamisen tarkkuudeksi 90%. Etenkin feokromosytoomien ensivaiheen diagnostiikassa ja NE-kasvaimen uusiutumaa epäiltäessä menetelmän tarkkuus oli korkea. Kokonaisuudessaan 59%:lla aineiston potilaista ¹⁸F-DOPA-PET kuvantamisella oli vaikutusta kliinisiin hoitoratkaisuihin. Johtopäätökset: PET/TT käyttäen merkkiaineena ¹⁸F-FDG:tä ja radiovettä osoittautui käyttökelpoiseksi menetelmäksi haimakasvaimien erotusdiagnostiikassa. Lisäksi ¹⁸F-FDG-PET/TT oli hyödyllinen haimasyövän etäpesäkkeiden arvioinnissa. Tutkimus osoitti myös ¹⁸F-DOPA-PET kuvantamisen olevan luotettava menetelmä insulinoomien ja muiden vatsan alueen NE-kasvaimien ensivaiheen diagnostiikassa sekä levinneisyyden arvioinnissa, etenkin muiden kuvantamislöydösten ollessa ristiriitaisia. PET kuvantamisella oli merkittävä vaikutus potilaiden kliiniseen hoitokäytäntöön sekä haima- että NE-kasvaimissa.

Sistema d'adquisició de temperatures de 2 canals via R.F.

Poder mesurar i enregistrar diferents tipus de magnituds com pressió, força, temperatura etc. s’ha convertit en una necessitat per moltes aplicacions actuals. Aquestes magnituds poden tenir procedències molt diverses, tals com l’entorn, o poden ser generades per sistemes mecànics, elèctrics, etc. Per tal de poder adquirir aquestes magnituds, s’utilitzen els sistemes d’adquisició de dades. Aquests sistemes, prenen mostres analògiques del món real, i les transformen en dades digitals que poden ser manipulades per un sistema electrònic. Pràcticament qualsevol magnitud es pot mesurar utilitzant el sensor adient. Una magnitud molt utilitzada en sistemes d’adquisició de dades, és la temperatura. Els sistemes d’adquisició de temperatures estan molt generalitzats, i podem trobar-los com a sistemes, on l’objectiu és mostrar les dades adquirides, o podem trobar-los formant part de sistemes de control, aportant uns inputs necessaris per el seu correcte funcionament, garantir-ne l’estabilitat, seguretat etc. Aquest projecte, promogut per l’empresa Elausa, s’encarregarà d’adquirir, el senyal d’entrada de 2 Termoparells. Aquests mesuraran temperatures de circuits electrònics, que es trobaran dintre la càmera climàtica de Elausa, sotmesos a diferents condicions de temperatura, per tal de rebre l’homologació del circuit. El sistema haurà de poder mostrar les dades adquirides en temps real, i emmagatzemar-les en un PC que estarà ubicat en una oficina, situada a uns 30 m de distància de la sala on es farà el test. El sistema constarà d’un circuit electrònic que adquirirà, i condicionarà el senyal de sortida dels termoparells, per adaptar-lo a la tensió d’entrada d’un convertidor analògic digital, del microcontrolador integrat en aquesta placa. Seguidament aquesta informació, s’enviarà a través d’un mòdul transmissor de radiofreqüència, cap al PC on es visualitzaran les dades adquirides. Els objectius plantejats són els següents: - Dissenyar el circuit electrònic d’adquisició i condicionament del senyal. - Dissenyar, fabricar i muntar el circuit imprès de la placa d’adquisició. - Realitzar el programa de control del microcontrolador. - Realitzar el programa per presentar i desar les dades en un PC. - El sistema ha d’adquirir 2 temperatures, a través de Termoparells amb un rang d’entrada de -40ºC a +240ºC - S’ha de transmetre les dades via R.F. Els resultats del projecte han estat satisfactoris i s’han complert els objectius plantejats.

Free Flap Monitoring. Using Tissue Oxygen Measurement and Positron Emission Tomography

Aims:This study was carried out to evaluate the feasibility of two different methods to determine free flap perfusion in cancer patients undergoing major reconstructive surgery. The hypotheses was that low perfusion in the flap is associated with flap complications. Patients and methods: Between August 2002 and June 2008 at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, and at the PET Centre, Turku, 30 consecutive patients with 32 free flaps were included in this study. The perfusion of the free microvascular flaps was assessed with positron emission tomography (PET) and radioactive water ([¹⁵O] H₂O) in 40 radiowater injections in 33 PET studies. Furthermore, 24 free flaps were monitored with a continuous tissue oxygen measurement using flexible polarographic catheters for an average of three postoperative days. Results: Of the 17 patients operated on for head and neck (HN) cancer and reconstructed with 18 free flaps, three re-operations were carried out due to poor tissue oxygenation as indicated by p_tiO₂ monitoring results and three other patients were reoperated on for postoperative hematomas in the operated area. Blood perfusion assessed with PET (BF_PET) was above 2.0 mL / min / 100 g in all flaps and a low flap-to-muscle BFPET ratio appeared to correlate with poor survival of the flap. Survival in this group of HN cancer patients was 9.0 months (median, range 2.4-34.2) after a median follow-up of 11.9 months (range 1.0-61.0 months). Seven HN patients of this group are alive without any sign of recurrence and one patient has died of other causes. All of the 13 breast reconstruction patients included in the study are alive and free of disease at a median follow-up time of 27.4 months (range 13.9-35.7 months). Re-explorations were carried out in three patients due data provided by p_tiO₂ monitoring and one re-exploration was avoided on the basis of adequate blood perfusion assessed with PET. Two patients had donorsite morbidity and 3 patients had partial flap necrosis or fat necrosis. There were no total flap losses. Conclusions: P_tiO₂ monitoring is a feasible method of free flap monitoring when flap temperature is monitored and maintained close to the core temperature. When other monitoring methods give controversial results or are unavailable, [₁₅O] H₂O PET technique is feasible in the evaluation of the perfusion of the newly reconstructed free flaps.

Multisystem Developmental Disorder in Children from 2 to 6 Years Old : A Three Years Follow-Up Study

This research studied children who had been diagnosed with Multisystem Developmental Disorder (MSDD) (NC, 2002) under the Diagnostic Classifications of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC: 0 - 3). They all showed, to a varying degree, difficulties in relating to others, play, affective interaction and severe delay in developing communication skills. Some studies have observed continuity in the diagnosis of autism during the first years of life. The objective of this study is to analyse the development of infants with MSDD whose diagnosis of autism was not confirmed. We also attempted to verify any possible psychomotor developmental differences based on, or related to, the severity and typology (B and C) of the MSDD. To enable us to do this we carried out a 3-year follow-up during which we assessed the infants (n = 15) and their parents. They are 2 - 4 years old. Results showed that type B children did present a greater impairment of psychomotor development in assessment tests. However, we did not observe any correlation between the degree of severity of the initial symptoms and later diagnoses. Conclusion: although our sample is small, we can conclude that there isn’t a clear evolution in the diagnosis, but we have found significant differences in the symptomatology between the type B and C

Volatile compounds from Rosmarinus officinalis L. and Baccharis dracunculifolia DC. Growing in southeast coast of Brazil

Chemical composition of leaf volatiles of Rosmarinus officinalis and Baccharis dracunculifolia cultured in Southeast of Brazil has been characterized by GC/MS after simultaneous distillation-extraction. The main components in volatiles of these species showed in common α-pinene, myrcene, 1,8 cineole and camphor. Camphor was the major component among volatiles of B. dracunculifolia and R. officinalis with concentrations exceeding 25%. B. dracunculifolia volatiles possessed more sesquiterpenes (21.4%) than R. officinalis (16.7%), such as caryophyllene (1.9%) and α-humulene (0.4%). Lower concentrations of nerolidol and spathulenol were achieved in volatiles of B. dracunculifolia. Considering both species, there was a predominance of monoterpenes.