Caffeine Content of Retail Market Coffee in Portugal

How much caffeine does one ingest when drinking a simple cup of coffee in Portugal? The study presented herein tried to answer this question through the assessment of caffeine content of commercially available espresso coffee samples, both caffeinated and decaffeinated, using a high-performance liquid chromatography assay. Caffeine was rapidly separated from the sample matrix using a RP-18 column (250?×?4 mm i.d., 5 μm). The flow rate was 1.0 mL/min and the mobile phase consisted of water acidified with 5% of orthophosphoric acid/methanol (35:65, v/v). Caffeine was detected directly at 273 nm. The assay was validated for linearity, lower limit of quantification and limit of detection, precision, accuracy, and stability. Seventeen different brands of caffeinated coffee and six of decaffeinated coffee were analyzed. As for capsule coffee, eight caffeinated and two decaffeinated blends were analyzed. The caffeine content of caffeinated coffee varied from 53.8?±?5.9 to 141.3?±?5.3 mg/cup, whereas for caffeinated capsule coffee caffeine concentrations ranged from 45.0?±?5.3 to 60.8?±?6.2 mg/cup. As for decaffeinated coffee, caffeine concentrations ranged from 0.96?±?0.04 to 3.9?±?0.1 mg/cup and for decaffeinated capsule coffee from 0.93?±?0.04 to 1.2?±?0.1 mg/cup.     

Environmental risk index: a tool to assess the safety of dams for leachate

Bagasse-based ion adsorbent was prepared by chemically modifying bagasse with acrylonitrile and hydroxylamine with the aim to enhance the ability of removal heavy metal ions from wastewater. The purified modified materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). Batch experiments of Cu(II) ions (Cu(2+)) adsorption on the bagasse adsorbent were performed. Effects of the adsorbent dosage, initial pH of the solution, temperature of the Cu(2+) solution, and initial Cu(2+) concentration on the adsorption of Cu(2+) were studied, respectively. Langmuir and Freundlich models were applied to describe the adsorption isotherm of Cu(2+) by bagasse adsorbent. The results indicated that Langmuir model fitted the adsorption equilibrium data better than the Freundlich isotherm model. Two kinetic models, including pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order, were also used to analyze the Cu(2+) adsorption process, and the results showed that the pseudo-second-order with correlation coefficients greater than 0.999 was more suitable than pseudo-first-order.     

Potent and selective thrombin inhibitors featuring hydrophobic, basic P3-P4-aminoalkyllactam moieties

Crystal structure and evolving SAR considerations of potent, selective benzylsulfonamide lactam thrombin inhibitors and related serine protease inhibitors have led to the design of novel thrombin inhibitors 1a-g, featuring hydrophobic, basic, P4-alkylaminolactam scaffolds that serve as novel types of P3-P4 dipeptide mimics. The design, synthesis, and biological activity of these targets is presented.     

Management of intractable intracranial hypertension in severely head-injured patients: second-tier therapy

This study examined pretreatment factors associated with attrition from a clinical trial for panic disorder. The study group consisted of 162 patients who began 11-visit treatments. Six domains (demography, panic disorder severity, psychiatric comorbidity, illness/treatment attributions, coping styles, and personality styles) with 52 variables were used to predict attrition. One hundred twenty-two patients completed and 40 dropped out from treatment. Final multivariate regression analyses showed that the following two variables were independently associated with attrition: lower household income and negative treatment attitudes; attributing the panic disorder to life stressors and greater age were independently associated with attrition at the trend level. Preliminary analyses suggested, in addition, associations between attrition and lower education, shorter length of prior treatment, higher anxiety sensitivity, lower agoraphobic avoidance, and a coping style of seeking social support that were not confirmed by best predictor analysis. Psychiatric comorbidity and personality styles were unrelated to attrition. The implications of these findings for future research and clinical practice are discussed.     

Administration of silica sensitizes lipopolysaccharide responsiveness of murine macrophages but inhibits T and B cell priming by inhibition of antigen presenting function

Macrophages play a key role in natural host defense against infection by a variety of pathogens. In addition, macrophages initiate the development of acquired immunity via antigen processing and presentation. The role of macrophages in resistance to pathogens, the development of autoimmune diseases and the induction of acquired immunity has been studied by treatment of rodents with reagents which are cytotoxic. We have studied the effects of one such reagent, silica, on the function of spleen macrophages and peritoneal exudate cells (PEC). Intraperitoneal administration of silica caused the accumulation of spleen macrophages and neutrophils, reduction in the number of B cells and had a modest effect on T cell abundance. The percentage of CD11b+ PEC was not affected by silica treatment but total PEC recovery was diminished 5-8 fold. Silica treatment did not cause release of TNF-alpha or IL-1-beta but, when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in vitro after silica treatment, PEC or spleen macrophages produced elevated levels of both cytokines compared to controls. In contrast, release of IL-12 from non-LPS treated PEC was stimulated 4-5 fold by silica treatment. In addition, sensitivity to LPS toxicity in vivo was significantly enhanced by silica. The ability of macrophages to present antigen to a T cell clone in vitro was found to be dramatically inhibited by silica treatment, as was the ability to prime antigen-specific T cells and B cells by antigen injection. Collectively these data demonstrate that silica treatment enhances macrophage sensitivity to LPS exposure but inhibits antigen processing and presentation.     

Okadaic acid induces appearance of the mitotic epitope MPM-2 in SV40-infected CV-1 cells with a >G2-phase DNA content

Previous results from endurance training in women have been discrepant in regard to influences on basal and maximum adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and beta-endorphin (beta-EP) concentrations before and after exhaustive exercise. A group of 23 untrained young women ran 3 times a week for 30 min at an individual specific intensity corresponding to their respective anaerobic threshold, derived from the lactate performance curve obtained from prior treadmill testing. ACTH and beta-EP were measured at rest, as well as 5 and 30 min after exhaustive progressive spiroergometric treadmill running, both before and after the 8 week endurance training program. Basal beta-EP did not change after training, but less elevated concentrations were measured both 5 (p < 0.05) and 30 min (p < 0.05) after exercise, after the training program. In contrast, the resting concentration of ACTH increased significantly; the respective maximum concentration was less elevated after 5 min and much less elevated 30 min after the exercise (p < 0.05). Positive correlations were found after the exhaustive exercise between beta-EP and ACTH, as well as between maximum lactate and ACTH. Training was associated with significant changes in maximum running speed (p < 0.01), maximum oxygen uptake (p < 0.01) and the running speed at the anaerobic threshold (p < 0.05). Maximum lactate and the level of perceived exertion remained unchanged, showing a similar level of exhaustion. Our results indicate that endurance training modulates the hormonal responses of beta-EP and ACTH to comparable workloads of high intensity. After the training program the maximum concentrations are significantly lower during the recovery period. The tendency to elevated basal ACTH, and thus elevated cortisol, might be a new factor to consider in evaluation of endurance training induced hormonal disturbances in women.     

New analysis for the assignment of UV-visible ionic Xe laser lines

Visible and UV laser emissions from a highly ionized pulsed Xe plasma were studied in relation to the ionic assignment of the laser lines. Time-resolved spectroscopy and intensity versus pressure analysis were used to determine the ionic origin of the studied lines. The results of both methods show good agreement, and the joint coincidence is used as a criterion for ionic classification, thus imposing a stringent condition for the assignment of the lines and enhancing its reliability. The disagreement between some of our assignments and those from other authors are discussed on the basis of the results of our systematic analysis of more than 200 spontaneous lines in the region of interest     

Biocompatibility and immunology in the encapsulation of islets of Langerhans (bioartificial pancreas)

Successful transplantation of encapsulated islets (bioartificial pancreas) would circumvent problems of islet availability and rejection in the treatment of insulin-dependent diabetes with biological organ replacement. Alginates are widely used as a hydrogel matrix or membrane for immunoprotected transplantation. A major problem in the use of diffusion-based devices is the biocompatibility of the material used. The foreign body reaction after implantation of empty microcapsules into different compartments in rats, dogs and pigs is evaluated in this article. However, biocompatibility of the bioartificial pancreas has three different aspects: reaction of the entrapped islet to the encapsulation technique and material; reaction of the recipient against the incorporated device ( = foreign body reaction); and finally the reaction of the recipient against the encapsulated islet ( = immunology of bioartificial pancreas). It is obvious from different experiments that even if foreign body reactions (reactions against material) are almost abolished the recipient may react against material released from the encapsulated islet. In conclusion, transplantation of encapsulated islets induces various morphological reactions (i.e. inflammation and fibrosis) as a result of a variety of donor and recipient related factors. Therefore, the use of an adequate animal model that reflects the human situation is essential for progress in the development of a bioartificial pancreas.