Liquid Chromatographic Determination of Residual Nitrite/Nitrate in Foods: NMKL Collaborative Study

Nitrite and nitrate are used as additives in the food industry to provide color and taste and to control undesirable gas and flavor production by anaerobic bacteria by virtue of their antimicrobial properties. The analytical method that has been widely used to determine nitrite and nitrate involves the use of toxic cadmium. In response to a request from the Nordic Committee on Food Analysis, a study was performed to obtain an alternative chromatographic method to determine residual nitrite and nitrate in meat products. The study was done in 3 stages: (1) comparative evaluation of the performance of 3 liquid chromatographic methods, (2) internal validation of the selected ion chromatographic method, and (3) a collaborative study in which 17 laboratories from European countries participated. Furthermore, the applicability of the method to matrixes other than meat and meat products was demonstrated. The results of the collaborative study show that the European Prestandard prENV 12014-4 is well suited for the determination of nitrite and nitrate in different foods (e.g., meat products, vegetables, baby food, and cheese). The limits of detection for nitrite and nitrate ions are 1 and 10 mg/kg, respectively. Recoveries of residual nitrite/nitrate ranged from 96 to 108%. Repeatability and reproducibility were satisfactory.

Routine database registration of biological therapy increases the reporting of adverse events twentyfold in clinical practice. First results from the Danish Database (DANBIO)

OBJECTIVE

To present from the Danish Database for Biological Therapies in Rheumatology (DANBIO) the frequencies and types of adverse events as well as risk factors during treatment with biological agents in clinical practice.

METHODS

Adverse events during the first 2 years of clinical use of biological agents in Denmark were reported to the nationwide DANBIO and compared to the mandatory reports to the Danish Medicines Agency.

RESULTS

Almost 90% of the patients treated with biological agents were registered in the DANBIO, and the database picked up 20 times as many adverse events as the Danish Medicines Agency. Infections and hypersensitivity reactions were the most prevalent adverse events. Age, disease duration, and previous number of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) were found to be risk factors for bacterial infections.

CONCLUSION

A routine-based Danish database for biological therapies covers approximately 90% of patients and improves the reporting of adverse events.

Application of interhemispheric index for transcranial Doppler sonography velocity measurements and evaluation of recording time

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To validate the reliability of transcranial Doppler sonography velocity measurements in clinical settings, assessment of the reproducibility of repeated bilateral simultaneous measurements and the optimal recording time is needed. Our hypothesis was that interhemispheric indices would prove more valid than the absolute velocity measurements usually applied. The potential interference between ultrasound beams in bilateral samplings also needs evaluation.

METHODS

Thirty healthy volunteers were studied at rest within hours or with a 2-month interval between measurements. Absolute blood flow velocities and side-to-side indices between velocities obtained in the middle cerebral arteries were measured over a 30-second period by two independent examiners. The correlation coefficient (r) and the coefficients of variation of the difference between either absolute velocities (CV) or indices (CVi) were calculated. The beat-to-beat variation of the diastolic, systolic, and mean velocities was also recorded. For evaluation of ultrasound beam interference, measurements were performed with and without one probe unplugged.

RESULTS

In the interobserver study in which measurements were repeated within hours, r = .92, CV = 8.8%, and CVi = 4.1%. In the intraobserver study in which measurements were repeated with a 2-month interval, r = .8, CV = 13.0%, and CVi = 7.3%. A recording time of 30 seconds reduced CVi to 2.6%, whereas for absolute velocities 5-second recordings produced an acceptable variation. There was no significant interference between bilaterally placed probes.

CONCLUSIONS

The introduction of interhemispheric indices improve interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility by approximately 50%. We recommend use of the index in clinical settings in which unilateral velocity changes are expected. For measurement of an interhemispheric index, a recording time of 30 seconds is recommended, whereas 5-second measurement periods yield a sufficient estimate of absolute velocities.