Looking at calcimimetics impact on hypercalcemia of immobilization: hypotheses and a case study

For the treatment of secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPTH-II) in dialysis patients and hypercalcemia in patients with parathyroid carcinoma. Calcimimetics are a new class of drugs approved in the European Community and the United States by the Food and Drug Administration that were designed to suppress parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels with a simultaneous reduction in serum calcium and phosphorus levels, and calcium phosphorus product (Ca x P). Hypocalcemia is a frequent finding during the correction phase of the HPTH-II with calcimimetics. By contrast, the appearance of a hypercalcemia has yet to be described. In this paper, we report a case of severe hypercalcemia of immobilization in a 40-year-old hemodialyzed woman treated by cinacalcet HCl for a severe HPTH-II (PTH>1,000 pg/mL). A kidney transplantation recipient 1983 to 1995, she was diagnosed with Charcot-Marie Tooth disease in 1991. She had multiple orthopedic interventions for kidney-related osteoarticular problems probably favored by the kidney graft and the immunosuppressive treatment. While she was receiving the maximum dose of 180 mg/day of cinacalcet HCl and PTH at 443 pg/mL, she needed to be hospitalized for a right hip prothesis. Two weeks after the intervention she developed a symptomatic hypercalcemia of 3.57 mmol/L which was resistant to several measures including lowering the calcium concentration in the dialysate, withdrawing all vitamin D and calcium supplementation and the administration of calcitonin. Her serum calcium level was finally stabilized in the 2.37-2.95 mmol/L by administration of a single intravenous dose of pamidronate. This observation illustrates that the pharmacological activation of the parathyroid CaR and other putative CaR on bone cells by calcimimetics did not protect against the occurrence of hypercalcemia of immobilization favored by a severe HPTH-II in a hemodialysis patient.     

Early use of PbS nanotechnology for an ancient hair dyeing formula

Lead-based chemistry was initiated in ancient Egypt for cosmetic preparation more than 4000 years ago. Here, we study a hair-dyeing recipe using lead salts described in text since Greco-Roman times. We report direct evidence about the shape and distribution of PbS nanocrystals that form within the hair during blackening. It is remarkable that the composition and supramolecular organization of keratins can control PbS nanocrystal growth inside a hair.     

Heterogeneity of the adsorption mechanism of low molecular weight compounds in reversed-phase liquid chromatography

The retention mechanism in RPLC mode was investigated based on the acquisition of adsorption isotherm data by frontal analysis measurements and their modeling. This work is a review of the results of four years of adsorption data measurements. The data were acquired on a wide variety of brands of C18-silica columns (from Akzo Nobel, Bishoff, Hypersil, Merck, Phenomenex, Supelco, Vydac, and Waters) with several low molecular weight compounds such as phenol (94 g/mol), caffeine (194 g/mol), tryptophan (204 g/mol), sodium 2-naphthalenesulfonate (235 g/mol), and propranololium chloride (295 g/mol). The mobile phase was a mixture of methanol and water at variable composition. The adsorption isotherms were all convex upward (langmuirian), and the degree of heterogeneity of the adsorption system was determined from the calculation of the adsorption energy distribution using the expectation-maximization method. The adsorption isotherm parameters (number of types of adsorption sites, surface concentration of each type of site, and difference between the adsorption energies E(i) - E(j) on sites i and j), obtained from the mathematical fit of the adsorption data to the appropriate multi-Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, were analyzed and compared. The results allow the drawing of general conclusions regarding the relationships between the size of the analyte and the adsorption properties (saturation capacities, adsorption energies) characterizing the retention mechanism in RPLC mode for neutral, anionic, and cationic compounds.     

Black box linearization for greater linear dynamic range: the effect of power transforms on the representation of data

Power transformations are commonly used in image processing techniques to manipulate image contrast. Many analytical results, including chromatograms, are essentially presented as images, often to convey qualitative information. Power transformations have remarkable effects on the appearance of the image, in chromatography, for example, increasing apparent resolution between peaks by the factor √n and apparent column efficiency (plate counts) by a factor of n for an nth-power transform. The profile of a Gaussian peak is not qualitatively changed, but the peak becomes narrower, whereas for an exponentially tailing peak, asymmetry at the 10% peak height level changes markedly. Using several examples we show that power transforms also increase signal-to-noise ratio and make it easier to discern an event of detection. However, they may not improve the limit of detection. Power responses are intrinsic to some detection schemes, and in others they are imbedded in instrument firmware to increase apparent linear range that the casual user may not be aware of. The consequences are demonstrated and discussed.     

Bioefficacy of essential and vegetable oils of Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides seeds against Acanthoscelides obtectus (Say) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)

Experiments were conducted in the laboratory to evaluate the bioefficacy of essential and vegetable oils of Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides (Rutaceae) against Acanthoscelides obtectus (Coleoptera: Bruchidae). The chemical composition of the essential oil and the fatty acid composition of the vegetable oil extracted from the seeds of Z. xanthoxyloides were determined. The insecticidal activities of these oils and the associated aromatized clay powder were evaluated against A. obtectus. Both oils were strongly repellent (100% repellency at 0.501 μl/cm2 essential oil and 3.144 μl/cm2 vegetable oil) and highly toxic (LC?? = 0.118 μl/cm2 for essential oil) to this beetle after contact on filter paper. The vapors of the essential oil were highly toxic to adult insects (LC?? = 0.044 μl/cm3), and the aromatized powder made from clay and essential oil was more toxic (LD?? = 0.137 μl/g) than the essential oil alone (LD?? = 0.193 μl/g) after 2 days of exposure on a common bean. Both oils greatly reduced the F? insect production and bean weight loss and did not adversely affect the bean seed viability. In general, the results obtained indicate that these plant oils can be used for control of A. obtectus in stored beans.     

Miniaturized integrated antennas for far-field wireless powering

This paper describes a series of high-efficiency miniaturized antennas of different sizes that can be integrated with the same wireless-powered RFID chip. Since this RFID chip has power scavenging capability in different ISM bands, several integrated on-chip and off-chip antennas in the three ISM bands of 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz and 5.8 GHz are designed, including one antenna integrated on chip. All proposed antennas are derived from a new planar antenna structure which can be designed toward arbitrary input impedance within a given area constraint. The measurement results for the presented antennas show a different read range. The resulting read range versus antenna size diagram specifies the best operating frequency band for a given read range and occupied area. Though this diagram depends on the chip's specifications like the power-on sensitivity and input impedance, it can be generated for any chip. In addition, the measurement results concerning read range and radiation patterns for the proposed antennas are presented and compared with simulation results, showing very good agreement.     

Molecular and physicochemical characterisation of starches from yam,cocoyam, cassava,sweet potato and ginger produced in the Ivory Coast

Granule sizes, macromolecular features and thermal and pasting properties of starches from seven tropical sources (Florido, Kponan and Esculenta yams, cocoyam, cassava, sweet potato and ginger) were compared with those of several well‐known cereal, legume and tuber starches. The aim of the study was to characterise some non‐conventional starches with a view to possibly marketing them. Amylose content varied from 148 mg g^?1 in Esculenta starch to 354 mg g^?1 in smooth pea starch. For total starches, weight‐average molar mass (M?_w) ranged between 0.94 × 10⁸ and 1.80 × 10⁸ g mol^?1 for potato and normal maize starches respectively. Gyration radius (R?_G) varied from 157 nm for ginger starch to 209 nm for normal maize starch. Gelatinisation enthalpy (ΔH) ranged between 9.8 and 20.7 J g^?1 for wheat and Florido starches respectively. Gelatinisation peak temperature (T_g) varied from 58.1 °C for wheat starch to 87.3 °C for ginger starch. Native starch granule mean diameter ranged between 5.1 and 44.5 µm for Esculenta and potato starches respectively. Cassava and potato starches had the highest swelling power and dispersed volume fraction at all treatment temperatures, while ginger starch had the lowest. Cocoyam starch had the highest and ginger starch the lowest solubility at 85 and 95 °C. Cassava starch was the most stable under cold storage conditions. Roots and tubers such as ginger and cassava produced in the Ivory Coast are new sources of starches with very interesting properties. Thus these starches could be isolated on an industrial level in order to market them. Copyright © 2007 Society of Chemical Industry     

A scanning electron microscopy study of diseased root surfaces conditioned with EDTA gel plus Cetavlon after scaling and root planing

In the present investigation, a scanning electron microscopy analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of the topical application of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) gel associated with Cetavlon (EDTAC) in removing the smear layer and exposing collagen fibers following root surface instrumentation. Twenty-eight teeth from adult humans, single rooted and scheduled for extraction due to periodontal reasons, were selected. Each tooth was submitted to manual (scaling and root planing) instrumentation alone or combined with ultrasonic instruments, with or without etching using a 24% EDTAC gel. Following extraction, specimens were processed and examined under a scanning electron microscope. A comparative morphological semi-quantitative analysis was performed; the intensity of the smear layer and the decalcification of cementum and dentinal surfaces were graded in 12 sets using an arbitrary scale ranging from 1 (area covered by a smear layer) to 4 (no smear layer). Root debridement with hand instruments alone or combined with ultrasonic instruments resulted in a similar smear layer covering the root surfaces. The smear layer was successfully removed from the surfaces treated with EDTAC, which exhibited numerous exposed dentinal tubules and collagen fibers. This study supports the hypothesis that manual instrumentation alone or instrumentation combined with ultrasonic instrumentation is unable to remove the smear layer, whereas the subsequent topical application of EDTAC gel effectively removes the smear layer, uncovers dentinal openings and exposes collagen fibers.     

On the presence of Inulin and Oligofructose as natural ingredients in the western diet

The classic definitions of inulin and oligofructose are constructively criticized. It is observed that inulin cannot unequivocally be described as a polydisperse 1‐kestose‐based (GF_n) β(2 ? 1) linear fructan chain, but that inulin always contains small amounts of F_m and branched molecules. This review article describes the presence of inulin and oligofructose in common foodstuffs. Historical data on human consumption add an extra dimension.

Modern analytical techniques (HPLC, LGC, HPAEC‐PAD) are used to check the variety of data mentioned in the literature throughout the past century. Methods to determine inulin and oligofructose in natural foodstuffs (cereals, fruit, and vegetables) are optimized and used to determine the loss of inulin during storage and during preparation of the food.

These findings allow quantification of the amount of inulin and oligofructose in the average daily western diet. The daily per capita intake is estimated to range from 1 to 10 g, depending on geographic, demographic, and other related parameters (age, sex, season, etc.).

Inulin and oligofructose are not measured by classic methods of dietary fiber analysis and consequently are often not mentioned in food tables. Their significant contribution (1 to 10 g/d/per capita) to the dietary fiber fraction (recommended at 25 g/d/per capita) is not taken into account in any nutritional recommendations. In view of this, inulin and oligofructose deserve more attention, both in food composition tables and in diet or nutrition studies.