Initial experience of clinical pharmacology and clinical pharmacy interactions in a clinical pharmacokinetics consultation service

International statistics indicate that there is a close correlation between the consumption of saturated fats (dairy fats and meat fats) and the mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD), and this conception has been confirmed by many epidemiological studies. Such studies alone, however, cannot prove the existence of a cause-and-effect relationship between these two variables; dietary intervention trials are needed. The Finnish Mental Hospital Study was such a trial, conducted in two hospitals near Helsinki in 1959--1971. Practically total replacement of dairy fats by vegetable oils in the diets of these hospitals was followed by a substantial reduction in the mortality of men from CHD. Total mortality also appeared to be reduced. As to the causes of death other than CHD, none was significantly influenced by dietary change. This was also true for malignant neoplasms. To alleviate the burden of CHD on public health, many investigators have recommended important changes in the quantity and quality of dietary fats.     

The electrochemical oxidation of nitrate ion on platinum from silver nitrate in acetonitrile solutions—I. kinetic analysis

The nitrate ion oxidation at platinum electrodes from AgNO₃ in acetonitrile solutions has been studied under a wide range of experimental conditions. LiClO₄ 0·4 M was used as supporting electrolyte. Coulommetry, steady state polarization curves in unstirred solutions, rotating disk electrode and chronopotentiometry were employed as electrochemical techniques to analyse the electrode reaction.During the electrolysis Ag²⁺ ions were detected. Ag²⁺ is obtained through a nitrate catalytic reaction pathway according to:

The heterogeneous catalytic behaviour of the electrode reaction was confirmed by chronopotentiometry and rde results.The diffusion coefficient of the reacting species and the heterogeneous catalytic constant were calculated. Both techniques give coherent results.     

Synthesis and characterisation of poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) polyelectrolyte complexes

Copolymerisation of charged and neutral monomers is a well-known methodology to introduce charged moieties in a polymeric chain to obtain polyelectrolytes. New polyelectrolyte complexes have been synthesised by radical copolymerisation of neutral methacrylic monomer 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) with cationic 2-methacryloyloxyethyltrimethyl ammonium chloride and anionic 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-sulphonic acid monomers in 10:1:1 and 10:1:2 stechiometric ratio. Chemical structure of the synthesised terpolymers was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy, moreover, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed the presence of a cationic charge excess on the 10:1:2 terpolymer surface with respect to 10:1:1 terpolymer. Swelling studies for 10:1:2 terpolymers showed a high water content in the swollen state and a "smart behaviour" upon changes in external stimuli such as pH, while, 10:1:1 terpolymer presented the behaviour of a neutral polymer. Mechanical and differential scanning calorimetry analysis confirmed that terpolymer networks were stabilised by ionic co-operative interactions. Infact, the inclusion of oppositely ionic charges in the polymeric network of p(HEMA) represent a way to achieve higher elastic modulus as they stabilise the terpolymer networks. Cytotoxicity and cytocompatibility studies demonstrated that all materials were not toxic, moreover, the presence of a cationic charge excess on 10:1:2 terpolymer surface was able to promote fibroblast adhesion.     

Electronic Evidence and the Law

Today, documents and data are likely to be encountered in electronic form. This creates a challenge for the legal system since its rules of evidence evolved to deal with tangible (physical) evidence. Digital evidence differs from tangible evidence in various respects, which raise important issues as to how digital evidence is to be authenticated, ascertained to be reliable and determined to be admissible in criminal or civil proceedings. This article explains how digital evidence differs from traditional physical evidence and reviews the current state of the law with regard to the processes of authentication, reliability and admissibility.     

The influence of nitromethane adsorption on the oxidation of formic acid at platinum electrodes

Co-adsorption of nitromethane at Pt electrodes, and its influence on HCOOH electrocatalytic oxidation were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and potentiostatic quasi-steady state polarization curves. Potentiodynamic I/E curves in the presence of nitromethane show a considerable current increase in the low potential region (0.2–0.5 V). This effect is maintained under quasi-steady state conditions.Electrosorption studies performed with nitromethane indicated that partially reduced species are adsorbed on the electrode surface. These species could be responsible for the observed promoting effect.The results obtained with nitromethane addition are compared with acetonitrile and dimethylsulfoixide. Competition for adsorption sites and modifications of surface adsorption energy produced by additive adsorption, account for their specific influence on the HCOOH oxidation rate.     

Microchip-based purification of DNA from biological samples

A microchip solid-phase extraction method for purification of DNA from biological samples, such as blood, is demonstrated. Silica beads were packed into glass microchips and the beads immobilized with sol-gel to provide a stable and reproducible solid phase onto which DNA could be adsorbed. Optimization of the DNA loading conditions established a higher DNA recovery at pH 6.1 than 7.6. This lower pH also allowed for the flow rate to be increased, resulting in a decrease in extraction time from 25 min to less than 15 min. Using this procedure, template genomic DNA from human whole blood was purified on the microchip platform with the only sample preparation being mixing of the blood with load buffer prior to loading on the microchip device. Comparison between the microchip SPE (microchipSPE) procedure and a commercial microcentrifuge method showed comparable amounts of PCR-amplifiable DNA could be isolated from cultures of Salmonella typhimurium. The greatest potential of the microchipSPE device was illustrated by purifying DNA from spores from the vaccine strain of Bacillus anthracis, where eventual integration of SPE, PCR, and separation on a single microdevice could potentially enable complete detection of the infectious agent in less than 30 min.     

Comparison of the flow properties of aqueous suspension corticosteroid nasal sprays under differing sampling conditions

Many aqueous suspension corticosteroid nasal sprays become less viscous when shaken and sprayed, then return to a more viscous state after application. This time-dependent, reversible loss of viscosity under shear (e.g., shaking or spraying) can be quantified in the rheological property of thixotropy. The flow properties of 5 corticosteroid nasal sprays were measured over a range of shear rates. The formulations tested included Nasonex, Vancenase AQ, Nasacort AQ, Rhinocort Aqua, and Flonase. The yield stress values, as well as an estimate of thixotropy, were compared by using three different sampling techniques, including one that simulated patient use (shaking for 30 sec, spraying, and immediately transferring the sample to the rheometer). The rheological properties of all products indicated that when initially shaken and dispensed, they flowed more freely, followed by recovery of viscosity that would likely inhibit the suspensions from flowing out of the nasal cavity. Under all three tested conditions, Nasonex exhibited the highest yield stress, the largest apparent initial and final viscosities, and the highest apparent thixotropy. The study protocol that simulated patient-use conditions produced the following rank order of measured thixotropy: Nasonex > Flonase > Vancenase AQ > Rhinocort Aqua > Nasacort AQ. The thixotropy of Nasonex was 3.4 to 21.4 times greater and the final viscosity was 3.2 to 17.4 times greater than the values of the other tested products.     

Contactless optoelectronic technique for monitoring epoxy cure

We describe a novel noninvasive optical technique to monitor the refractive-index variation in an epoxy-based resin that is due to the polymerization process. This kind of resin is widely used in polymer matrix composites. It is well known that the process of fabricating a thermoset-based composite involves mass and heat transfer coupled with irreversible chemical reactions that induce physical changes. To improve the quality and the reliability of these materials, monitoring the cure and optimization of the manufacturing process are of key importance. We discuss the basic operating principles of an optical system based on angle deflection measurements and present typical cure-monitoring results obtained from optical characterization. The method provides a flexible, high-sensitivity, material-independent, low-cost, noninvasive tool for monitoring real-time refractive-index variation.