A biobased synthesized N-hydroxymethyl starch-amide for enhancing the wet and dry strength of paper products

The aim of this research was to develop a bio-based paper strength agent for the replacement of petroleum-based paper strength agents. Cationic starch was modified with 2-chloroacetamide in aqueous media. The modification reaction conditions were optimized based on the acetamide functional group incorporated into cationic starch. Further, modified cationic starch was dissolved in water and then reacted with formaldehyde to produce N-hydroxymethyl starch-amide. 1 % N-hydroxymethyl starch-amide was mixed with OCC pulp slurry before preparing the paper sheet for testing the physical properties. The wet tensile index, dry tensile index, and dry burst index of the N-hydroxymethyl starch-amide-treated paper increased 243 %, 36 %, and 38 %, respectively, compared to the control sample. In addition, comparative studies were done between N-hydroxymethyl starch-amide and commercial paper wet strength agent GPAM and PAE. The wet tensile index of 1 % N-hydroxymethyl starch-amide-treated tissue paper was similar to GPAM and PAE, and 2.5 times higher than the control sample.

[Evaluation of primary care treatment of oncology patients with opiates]

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate how adequately pain in terminal cancer patients is managed by morphine taken orally.

DESIGN

A descriptive, retrospective study, from January 1993 to March 1994.

SETTING

Primary care. Four primary care teams of the 10th Health Area of Madrid.

PATIENTS

37 patients with terminal cancer who took morphine under the supervision of primary care doctors.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Average age was 64.6 +/- 14. The most common site of the primary tumour was lungs (n = 6), colon (n = 4) and stomach (n = 4). All the patients received conventional analgesics at first and 82% went on to weak opiates before progressing to morphine. Half the patients began with an oral solution of morphine and the other half with long-acting tablets. Increases in the doses of morphine were correct in 62% of cases. 41% of the patients took antiemetics and 55% laxatives. 82% of the bone and 100% of the brain metastases were correctly treated.

CONCLUSIONS

In general, primary care doctors in our area correctly handle pain caused by terminal cancer. The most significant errors are to do with increases in doses of morphine and with the associated use of laxatives. These can easily be rectified so that our patients' quality of life can be improved.

Differences in cardiovascular profiles induced by mental arithmetic and by hand-eye task

Five young, healthy male students performed two different psychophysical tests each lasting 1 min. The first test (A) consisted of mental arithmetic with digiting of results on a keyboard; the second test (G) consisted of playing an electronic game based on hand-eye coordination. Before and during each test, subjects remained seated with their thoraxes connected to an impedance cardiography monitor which gave, non invasively, beat-by-beat values of heart rate (HR), cardiac output (CO), stroke volume (SV) and left ventricle ejection time (VET). Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) arterial blood pressures were measured by means of a sphygmomanometer and total peripheral vascular resistance (TPR) and mean systolic ejection rate (MSER) were calculated. During test A, CO (A = +30%, G = +14%), HR (A = +26%, G = +2%) and SBP (A = +16%, G = +10%) increased more than during test G, while SV (A = +3%, G = +12%) and MSER (A = +11%, G = +14%) increased less and TPR (A = -13%, G = -7%) and VET (A = -7%, G = -2%) decreased more than in G. It was concluded that the analysis of a more complete cardiovascular profile may enhance distinctions among the behavioural stressors that induced different combinations in cognitive and sensory-motor responses.

Stroke volume response to progressive exercise in athletes engaged in different types of training

Using the impedance cardiography method, heart rate (fc) matched changes on indexed stroke volume (SI) and cardiac output (CI) were compared in subjects engaged in different types of training. The subjects consisted of untrained controls (C), volleyball players (VB) who spent about half of their training time (360 min.week-1) doing anaerobic conditioning exercises and who had a maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) 41% higher than the controls, and distance runners (D) who spent all their training time (366 min.week-1) doing aerobic conditioning exercises and who had a VO2max 26% higher than VB. The subjects performed progressive submaximal cycle ergometer exercise (10 W.min-1) up to fc of 150 beats.min-1. In group C, SI had increased significantly (P < 0.05) at fc of 90 beats.min-1 (+32%) and maintained this difference up to 110 beats.min-1, only to return to resting values on reaching 130 beats.min-1 with no further changes. In group VB, SI peaked (+54%) at fc of 110 beats.min-1, reaching a value significantly higher than that of group C, but decreased progressively to 22% of the resting value on reaching 150 beats.min-1. In group D, SI peaked at fc of 130 beats.min-1 (+54%), reaching a value significantly higher than that of group VB, and showed no significant reduction with respect to this peak value on reaching 150 beats.min-1. As a consequence, the mean CI increase per fc unit was progressively higher in VB than in C (+46%) and in D than in VB (+105%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[Preoperative levels of CA 125 and risk factors in adenocarcinoma of the endometrium]

Preoperative serum CA 125 levels were measured in 61 patients with various FIGO stage endometrial adenocarcinoma and they were compared with stage of disease, grading and pelvic lymph nodes involvement. Serum CA 125 levels in excess of 35 U/ml were detected in 19 patients (31.1%): circulating levels exceeding 65 U/ml were also found in 15 patients (24.5). Rising concentrations were associated with increasing stages. Grading and lymph nodes involvement were correlated with the presence of elevated serum levels (more than 65% for grade two or three and more than 80% in patients with positive lymph nodes). Preoperative high concentrations of CA 125 suggest the presence and the probability of advanced endometrial cancer. The cases with elevated CA 125 serum levels seems to be a higher risk for extrauterine tumor progression and lymphatic space invasion: the preoperative presence of the antigen imposes an accurate intraoperative surgical staging and a careful follow-up for preventing recurrence or metastases.

Heterogeneity of muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the developing human fetal brain: regional distribution and characterization

The ontogeny of muscarinic cholinergic receptors has been studied in different regions of the human fetal brain. For a comparison, the same study has been carried out on newborn and premature brain. Regarding on the areas examined (frontal cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, thalamus and basal ganglia) either an increase or a decrease of receptor density during gestation was observed. Thus, the ontogeny of the receptors follows a different pattern in areas which differ in function, cholinergic innervation and embryological origin. However, in all the regions the affinity of the binding site for the ligand [3H]quinuclidinyl benzilate [3H]QNB was very similar to that reported for muscarinic receptors from adult mammalian brain. Data obtained from agonist binding (acetylcholine and carbachol) revealed the presence of a high (H)- and a low-affinity binding site (L) from 10 weeks of gestation. The selective antagonist pirenzepine (PZ) also distinguished two different muscarinic receptor subtypes, which however had higher affinity than that seen in adult brain. In conclusion, during ontogeny, the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor shares some but not all of the pharmacological properties shown in the adult brain.

Antigenic and cytochemical characterization of cells adhering to intrauterine contraceptive devices

Eighteen copper intrauterine devices (IUDs), removed after 25 months of use, were examined to evaluate cells adhering to them (IAC). By means of monoclonal antibodies, the antigenic phenotype of IAC was studied, along with some IAC cytochemical properties. Sixty percent of IAC were identified as granulocytes based on morphological, cytochemical, and antigenic characteristics. A small proportion of IAC were shaped like large foreign-body macrophages, with multiple picnotic nuclei, and diffused alpha naphthyl acetate esterase (ANAE) activity. Some IAC identified as macrophages from a morphological view point also showed dipeptidyl-diaminopeptidase IV (DAPIV) reactivity, previously described only in T-helper lymphocytes. Most IAC identified as macrophages reacted with the monoclonal antibodies OKM1 and HLA-DR, and showed ANAE activity in the form of small multiple granules. The hypothesis that IUD-adhering macrophages with an ANAE+, DAPIV+, OKM1+, and HLA-DR+ phenotype could play a role in the inactivation of spermatozoa can be proposed.

Genetic and population structure of four Sardinian villages

Data on microgeographic population structure on four neighbouring villages of Sardinia island (Italy) are presented and discussed. Two villages are located in the lowlands where malaria from Plasmodium falciparum was endemic until the eradication of paludism. The other two villages are located in the highlands and they were malaria-free because of the altitude. Census data, inbreeding, migration matrices and surname distributions have been collected. The genetic differentiation of the four villages, tested for 31 genetic polymorphisms (106 alleles), is only in part compatible with migration rates inferred from demographic data. The possible adaptive nature of some genetic markers with respect to malarial resistance is discussed. Ambiguous results from population genetics quantitative methods do not support definite answers.

Variations of plasma CEA levels in gynecologic malignancies: incidence, significance and changes occurring in response to therapy

Serial carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) radioimmunoassay were performed on 84 patients with primary gynecologic malignancies using the double antibody method. A positive correlation between the marker levels and tumor stage was found in the subjects with invasive disease: the incidence of positive values is appreciably higher in the advanced stages of malignancies. The surgical resection normalized the pretreatment elevated levels: fluctuating CEA values were observed during chemio or radiotherapy. The findings of this investigation support the theory of the limited usefulness of the CEA levels as a diagnostic test in patients with gynecologic cancer. The determination would appear to be helpful only in case with an elevated plasma values at the time of diagnosis. The CEA test seems to indicate that serial plasma assays can be of large interest in the follow-up of this women and for the second-look surgery, chemio and radiant therapy.