Determination of 6,4'-bis-(2-imidazolinylhydrazone)-2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]py ridine in plasma and whole blood by high-performance liquid chromatography

A selective and sensitive HPLC assay for the quantitative determination of a new antifilarial drug, 6,4'-bis-(2-imidazolinylhydrazone)-2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyr idine (CDR 101) is described. After extraction from plasma and blood, CDR 101 was analysed using a C18 Nucleosil ODS column (250x4.6 mm, 5 microm particle size) and mobile phase of acetonitrile-0.05 M ammonium acetate adjusted to pH 3.0, with UV detection at 318 nm. The mean recoveries of CDR 101 in plasma and blood over a concentration range of 25-500 ng/ml were 95.5+/-2.01% and 83.3+/-1.87%, respectively. The within-day and day-to-day coefficient of variations for plasma were 3.23-6.21% and 2.59-9.90%, respectively, those for blood were 2.59-5.92% and 2.89-6.82%, respectively. The minimum detectable concentration for CDR 101 was 1 ng/ml in plasma and 2.5 ng/ml in whole blood. This method was found to be suitable for clinical pharmacokinetic studies.

Classification and reconstruction in revision acetabular arthroplasty with bone stock deficiency

Revision acetabular surgery with bone stock loss is a difficult problem. Defects are classified into contained cavitary (Type-1) defects and noncontained defects (Type 2A and 2B) based on preoperative radiographs and intraoperative findings. Fifty-four hips with Type-1 defects were treated with morsellized allograft. The overall success rate was 90% at 6.78 year followup. Type-2 defects are reconstructed with structural grafts. Twenty-nine hips with Type-2A defects (the allograft supports <50% of the cup) were reviewed at 7.1 years' followup. The success rate was 90)%. In all but 1 case the allograft united to host bone. No resorption or minor resorption was seen in 26 of 29 hips with minor column structural grafts. Type-2B defects all had structural allografts that supported >50% of the cup. There were 33 hips in this group observed for an average of 7.1 years. The rerevision rate in this group was 45%. However, 7 of 15 hips were reconstructed without additional graft at rerevision. The only factor that was clinically significant for success in Type-2B defects was choice of acetabular component. In hips that received roof rings with cemented cups, the success rate was 100% (excluding 1 infection). The authors support the use of allograft bone in revision acetabular surgery. When structural grafts are required, every attempt should be made to achieve >50% support from host bone. If this is not possible, then a roof reinforcement ring with a cemented cup is the acetabular component of choice.

Compliance with antimalarial chemoprophylaxis and the subsequent development of malaria: a matched case-control study

To determine if there is a difference in compliance with antimalarial chemoprophylaxis between febrile travelers with and without malaria, 157 patients with malaria, a history of fever, and recent travel to a malaria-endemic area were compared with 157 matched controls. Antimalarial prophylaxis had been taken by 48% of all patients. Chemoprophylaxis use was correlated with region and purpose of travel. Cases were less likely to have taken prophylaxis (53%) than controls (76%) (odds ratio = 0.35, confidence interval = 0.27, 0.73), even after controlling for region of travel, purpose of travel, and previous exposure to malaria. Chemoprophylaxis was effective in reducing malaria risk. Travel agents and health practitioners should provide all travelers to malaria-endemic areas with adequate information about chemoprophylaxis and its importance.

Home environment and asthma in Kenyan schoolchildren: a case-control study

BACKGROUND

There is increasing evidence that environmental factors contribute to the development of asthma, so the relationship was studied between home environment factors and asthma among school children of varying socioeconomic backgrounds living in a developing country.

METHODS

A case-control study was performed in participants of a prevalence survey which included 77 schoolchildren with asthma (defined by a history of wheeze, doctor diagnosis, or a decline in FEV1 of > or = 10% at five or 10 minutes after exercise) and 77 age and gender matched controls. Subjects were selected from 402 school children aged 9-11 years attending five primary schools in the city of Nairobi who participated in a prevalence survey of asthma. Visits were made to the homes of cases and controls and visual inspection of the home environment was made using a checklist. A questionnaire regarding supplemental salt intake, parental occupation, cooking fuels, and health of all children in the family was administered by an interviewer.

RESULTS

In multivariate analysis the following factors were associated with asthma: damage caused by dampness in the child's sleeping area (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.9; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.0 to 11.7), air pollution in the home (OR 2.5; 95% CI 2.0 to 6.4), presence of rugs or carpets in child's bedroom (OR 3.6; 95% CI 1.5 to 8.5). Children with asthma reported a supplemental mean daily salt intake of 817 mg compared with 483 mg in controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Home environmental factors appear to be strongly associated with asthma in schoolchildren in a developing nation. These findings suggest a number of hypotheses for further studies.

A Study of Chemical Reactions in Molten Sodium Hydrogen Sulfate Potassium Hydrogen Sulfate Eutectic. V. The Reactions of Eleven Acetates

The reactions of the acetates of lithium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, strontium, barium, manganese, cobalt, zinc and lead with molten sodium hydrogen sulfate-potassium hydrogen sulfate eutectic were investigated by means of thermogravimetry, differential thermal analysis, X-ray diffraction, mass spectral and infrared methods. In these acid-base reactions, the metal acetates were found to be converted into the corresponding metal sulfates, and acetic acid was the volatile product of each reaction. The temperatures and stoichiometries of the reactions have been determined.

Studies of alpha-protein in human cell cultures

alpha-Protein growth fraction (AGF) eliminates the 60- to 90-day adaptive phase required to establish actively growing cultures of HeLa (Gey), human heart (Girardi), KB (Eagle) and other established cell lines in serum-free chemically defined medium A3. AGF is effective at less than 0.4 microgram per ml. By using the procedures described in the text, it is possible to culture HeLa cells in very simple media such as Eagle's basal medium. The properties of AGF are such that it may be adsorbed on glass or plastic flasks. Glass flasks treated with AGF retain full activity after washing with acetone, and treatment with ethyl ether and chemically defined medium. Adsorbed AGF is destroyed by trypsin. AGF can detoxify protamines, polylysines or histones. It will reverse the aggregation response induced by adding complexes composed of carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) and basic proteins. The results support the contention that highly adsorptive AGF functions at the cell surface and is capable of modifying the response of the cell to its environment.

Synthesis of certain pyridinyl and diazinyl hydrazones containing one or more ferroin groups, and their chromogenic reactions with iron, copper, cobalt and nickel

Fifteen new hydrazones with one or more ferroin groups were prepared, and their chelation and chromogenic properties with iron(II), copper(I), cobalt(II) and nickel(II) were investigated. Improved sensitivity in the spectrophotometric determination of cobalt, copper, and nickel is provided by several of the new compounds. Several others are capable of forming unusually stable and interesting binuclear iron(II) complexes.