A one-year monitoring of nicotine use in sport: frontier between potential performance enhancement and addiction issues.

Tobacco consumption is a global epidemic responsible for a vast burden of disease. With pharmacological properties sought-after by consumers and responsible for addiction issues, nicotine is the main reason of this phenomenon. Accordingly, smokeless tobacco products are of growing popularity in sport owing to potential performance enhancing properties and absence of adverse effects on the respiratory system. Nevertheless, nicotine does not appear on the 2011 World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List or Monitoring Program by lack of a comprehensive large-scale prevalence survey. Thus, this work describes a one-year monitoring study on urine specimens from professional athletes of different disciplines covering 2010 and 2011. A method for the detection and quantification of nicotine, its major metabolites (cotinine, trans-3-hydroxycotinine, nicotine-N'-oxide and cotinine-N-oxide) and minor tobacco alkaloids (anabasine, anatabine and nornicotine) was developed, relying on ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-TQ-MS/MS). A simple and fast dilute-and-shoot sample treatment was performed, followed by hydrophilic interaction chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) operated in positive electrospray ionization (ESI) mode with multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) data acquisition. After method validation, assessing the prevalence of nicotine consumption in sport involved analysis of 2185 urine samples, accounting for 43 different sports. Concentrations distribution of major nicotine metabolites, minor nicotine metabolites and tobacco alkaloids ranged from 10 (LLOQ) to 32,223, 6670 and 538 ng/mL, respectively. Compounds of interest were detected in trace levels in 23.0% of urine specimens, with concentration levels corresponding to an exposure within the last three days for 18.3% of samples. Likewise, hypothesizing conservative concentration limits for active nicotine consumption prior and/or during sport practice (50 ng/mL for nicotine, cotinine and trans-3-hydroxycotinine and 25 ng/mL for nicotine-N'-oxide, cotinine-N-oxide, anabasine, anatabine and nornicotine) revealed a prevalence of 15.3% amongst athletes. While this number may appear lower than the worldwide smoking prevalence of around 25%, focusing the study on selected sports highlighted more alarming findings. Indeed, active nicotine consumption in ice hockey, skiing, biathlon, bobsleigh, skating, football, basketball, volleyball, rugby, American football, wrestling and gymnastics was found to range between 19.0 and 55.6%. Therefore, considering the adverse effects of smoking on the respiratory tract and numerous health threats detrimental to sport practice at top level, likelihood of smokeless tobacco consumption for performance enhancement is greatly supported.

Effects of three organophosphorus insecticides in the reproductive potential of Culex quinquefasciatus

A Culex quinquefasciatus Say 1823 strain with resistant genes to organophosphates was tested in the laboratory to know the reproductive potential after exposure, as larvae, at the LC30 and LC70 (mg/l) of three organophosphorus insecticides: malathion, chlorpyrifos and methyl-pirimiphos. Data showed that fecundity was decreased significantly by malathion at LC30 = 0.0025 and LC70 = 0.0075, whereas fertility has a no significant decrement by chlorpyrifos and methyl-pirimiphos at the LC70 (0.000016, 0.00043). The sexual index was affected by chlorpyrifos and methyl-pirimiphos showing a greater number of adult females.

Oxidative potential of a panel of carbonaceous and metallic nanoparticles

Characterisation of nanoparticles (NP) based on size distribution, surface area, reactivity, and aggregation status of nanoparticles (NP) are of prime importance because they are usually closely related to toxicity. To date, most of the toxicity studies are quite time and money consuming. In the present study we report the oxidative properties of a panel of various NP (four Carbonaceous, nine Metal oxides, and one Metal as showed in Table 1) assessed with an acellular reactivity test measuring dithiothreitol (DTT) consumption (Sauvain et al. 2008). Such a test allows determining the ability of NP to catalyse the transfer of electrons from DTT to oxygen. DTT is used as a reductant species. NP were diluted and sonicated in Tween 80® to a final concentration of 50 g/mL. Printex 90 was diluted 5 times before doing the DTT assay because of its expected higher activity. Suspensions were characterised for NP size distribution by Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (Nanosight©). Fresh solutions were incubated with DTT (100 μM). Aliquots were taken every 5 min and the remaining DTT was determined by reacting it with DTNB. The reaction rate was determined for NP suspensions and blank in parallel. The mean Brownian size distribution of NP agglomerates in suspension is presented in Table 1. D values correspond to 10th, and 50th percentiles of the particle diameters. All the NP agglomerated in Tween 80 with a D50 size corresponding to at least twice their primary size, except for Al2O3 (300 nm). The DTT test showed Printex 90 sample to be the most reactive one, followed by Diesel EPA and Nanotubes. Most of the metallic NP was nonresponding toward this test, except for NiO and Ag which reacted positively and ZnO which presented the most negative reactivity (see Figure 1). This last observation suggests that electron transfer between DTT and oxygen is hindered in presence of ZnO compared with the blank. Such "stabilization" could be attributable to ZnO dissolution and complexation between Zn2+ ions and DTT.

Highly inducible synthesis of heterologous proteins in epithelial cells carrying a glucocorticoid-responsive vector.

A glucocorticoid-responsive vector is described which allows for the highly inducible expression of complementary DNAs (cDNAs) in stably transfected mammalian cell lines. This vector, pLK-neo, composed of a variant mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat promoter, containing a hormone regulatory element, a Geneticin resistance-encoding gene in a simian virus 40 transcription unit, and a polylinker insertion site for heterologous cDNAs, was used to express the polymeric immunoglobulin (poly-Ig) receptor and the thymocyte marker, Thy-1, in Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells and in murine fibroblast L cells. A high level of poly-Ig receptor or Thy-1 mRNA accumulation was observed in MDCK cells in response to dexamethasone with a parallel ten- to 200-fold increase in protein synthesis depending on the recombinant protein and the transfected cell clone.

Life history correlates of adult size in the malaria vector Anopheles darlingi

Adult dry weights of laboratory-reared Anopheles darlingi were highly correlated with wing lengths, which were used to estimate size variation in natural populations of this species. Significant differences in mean wing lengths of females trapped at baits were detected among collections in the same week at one site, but not between three sites in Brazil and Boliva. Relatively higher variability of wing lengths, compared to collections of other Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus), and platykurtic size distributions in large, single-night collections suggested that An. darlingi females caught at baits emerged from heterogenous larval habitats. No relationship was detected between parous state and the body size of wild-caught females. Adult males and females of laboratory-reared An. darlingi did not differ in body size. This absence of sexual size dimorphism is rare among mosquitoes and has not been noted previously in the genus Anopheles.

The effect of different proportions of males and females over the Chrysomya albiceps (Wiedemann 1819) (Diptera, Calliphoridae) biotic potential and longevity under laboratory conditions

Chrysomya albiceps specimens were derived from colonies kept under laboratory conditions. The oviposition period, total number of eggs-mass and the weight of the eggs-mass (average/female) presented significant differences between colonies regarding the sexual ratio of 1male/1female (situation I), when compared to the other ratios (1male/3female, situation II), (1male/5female, situation III), (3male/1female, situation IV) and (5 male/1female, situation V). It was ascertained that the increase in the proportion of females, resulted in higher weight and greater number of ovipositions and lenghtening of the period of oviposition, leads to a decrease in their lifespan.

Prevalence of and potential influencing factors for alcohol dependence in europe.

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs), and alcohol dependence (AD) in particular, are prevalent and associated with a large burden of disability and mortality. The aim of this study was to estimate prevalence of AD in the European Union (EU), Iceland, Norway, and Switzerland for the year 2010, and to investigate potential influencing factors. The 1-year prevalence of AD in the EU was estimated at 3.4% among people 18-64 years of age in Europe (women 1.7%, men 5.2%), resulting in close to 11 million affected people. Taking into account all people of all ages, AD, abuse and harmful use resulted in an estimate of 23 million affected people. Prevalence of AD varied widely between European countries, and was significantly impacted by drinking cultures and social norms. Correlations with level of drinking and other drinking variables and with major known outcomes of heavy drinking, such as liver cirrhosis or injury, were moderate. These results suggest a need to rethink the definition of AUDs.

Primordial Perturbations in Einstein-Aether theories

El nostre objectiu es l'estudi d'extensions de la Relativitat General i, en particular, estem interessats en les teories que continguin camps vectorials addicionals. En aquests tipus de teories es necessari imposar que el vector ha de tenir norma fixa per evitar la presència d'un fantasma o grau de llibertat amb terme cinètic negatiu, i això implica que la simetria Lorentz està trencada espontàniament. El camp del aether només interactua gravitatòriament i la seva presència es difícil de detectar, no obstant això, durant inflació les fluctuacions del buit a escales petites d'un camp lleuger pot deixar una empremta en observables com les anisotropies del fons de radiació de microones. Les fluctuacions del Einstein-aether es comporten com els camps sense massa i això fa que inflació generi modes de longitud de ona llarga en els sectors escalar i vectorial. Hem estudiat la signatura del Einstein-aether dins l'espectre de pertorbacions primordials lluny del límit de de Sitter de inflació. Aquests modes escalars i vectorials poden deixar una empremta significativa en la radiació de fons de microones en funció dels paràmetres del model. Les observacions del fons de radiació de microones imposen restriccions fenomenològiques que redueixen els límits existents per aquesta classe de teoria. Amb aquest estudi del aether també esperem millorar el coneixement que tenim de una classe més ampla de teories que exhibeixen el mateix tipus de trencament de simetria.

Epidemiological study of bancroftian filariasis in Recife, Northeastern Brazil

Wuchereria bancrofti in Pernambuco was first documented in 1952 (Azevedo & Dobbin 1952), and since then it has been reported in surveys carried out in selected areas of Recife. Several surveys were carried out from 1981 to 1991 by SUCAM. In the 1985 SUCAM's report the disease is considered under control. The CPqAM Filariasis Research Program was established in 1985 and a filarial survey was carried out in the town of Olinda, Greater Recife. In order to verify the real epidemiological situation, a study was conducted in the city of Recife. 21/36 of the Special Zones of Social Interest (ZEIS), were randomly selected for the present study. From 10,664 persons screened, 683 were positive and the prevalence rate for microfilaraemia (mf) varied from 0.6% to 14.9%. A mean mf prevalence of 6.5%, showed that the infection occurs in a wide geographic distribution in Greater Recife and that the intensity of transmission is a real and potential threat to public health in affected communities. Mf rate among males and females differed significantly. Due to the rapid increase in population, unplanned urban settlements, poor sanitary facilities and the favorable geographical conditions to the development of the vector, filariasis may actually be increasing in Recife.

A cognitive attempt to understanding female entrepreneurial potential: the role of social norms and culture

This article analyzes the different perceptions of both male and female potential entrepreneurs from three European regions differing in their respective level of economic development and entrepreneurial culture. We use an extended cognitive model of entrepreneurial intentions based on the theory of planned behaviour, the theory of normative social behaviour and social capital literature. Results show females have lower self-efficacy and entrepreneurial attraction than males, thus leading to lower entrepreneurial intention. Differences between the three subsamples are small when males are studied. However, female entrepreneurial intentions and perceptions are more affected by the cultural context.

Simian malaria at two sites in the Brazilian Amazon - II: Vertical distribution and frequency of anopheline species inside and outside the forest

An anopheline survey was carried out in two simian malaria areas in the Brazilian Amazon, Balbina and Samuel, to determine the potential vectors of Plasmodium brasilianum. The most abundant and/or acrodendrophilic anophelines in the forest and the most likely vector were Anopheles mediopunctatus, An. nuneztovari, An. oswaldoi, An. triannulatus and An. shannoni. An. darlingi and An. marajoara were captured essentially in anthropic habitats outside the forest and are unlikely to be involved in the transmission of P. brasilianum among monkeys within the forests and from monkeys to man in their surroundings in the Amazon.

Chagas Disease Vector Control in Tupiza, Southern Bolivia

Heavy domestic and peridomestic infestations of Triatoma infestans were controlled in two villages in southern Bolivia by the application of deltamethrin SC25 (2.5% suspension concentrate) at a target dose of 25 mg a.i./m². Actual applied dose was monitored by HPLC analysis of filter papers placed at various heights on the house walls, and was shown to range from 0 to 59.6 about a mean of 28.5 mg a.i./m². Wall bioassays showed high mortality of T. infestans during the first month after the application of deltamethrin. Mortality declined to zero as summer temperatures increased, but reappeared with the onset of the following winter. In contrast, knockdown was apparent throughout the trial, showing no discernible temperature dependence. House infestation rates, measured by manual sampling and use of paper sheets to collect bug faeces, declined from 79% at the beginning of the trial to zero at the 6 month evaluation. All but one of the houses were still free of T. infestans at the final evaluation 12 months after spraying, although a small number of bugs were found at this time in 5 of 355 peridomestic dependencies. Comparative cost studies endorse the recommendation of large-scale application of deltamethrin, or pyrethroid of similar cost-effectiveness, as a means to eliminate domestic T. infestans populations in order to interrupt transmission of Chagas disease