Allergic contact dermatitis from acrylates in ultraviolet curing inks

Six patients developed dermatitis while working with ultraviolet curing inks in four different printing plants. Contact allergy was found to the multifunctional acrylate monomers pentaerythritol triacrylate (PETA) and trimethylol propane triacrylate (TMPTA) and to the epoxy acrylate and polyesteracrylate prepolymers.

[Renal embolisation, renal cystography and percutaneous nephrostomy (author's transl)]

In renal disease, therapeutic procedures performed by radiologists include embolisation, cystography with obliteration and percutaneous nephrostomy. More than 72 therapeutic occlusions of the renal artery by balloon, coil, and gelfoam are presented. Basic differences in technique of application and in the mechanism of Ethibloc in comparison to other kinds of embolisation material are pointed out. In 61 diagnostic punctures of renal cysts, guided by sonograpny, 31 were treated by injection of Lipiodol. As in cystography, the combination of sonography and radiology proved to be highly valuable in 37 percutaneous nephrostomies. Technique, indication, contraindication, and complication of renal embolisation, renal cystography and percutaneous nephrostomy are briefly discussed.

Effect of pH, chlorobutanol, cysteine hydrochloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, propylene glycol, sodium metabisulfite, and sodium sulfite on furosemide stability in aqueous solutions

A study was conducted to determine the effects of pH, two antioxidants, a chelating agent, a preservative, and propylene glycol on furosemide stability. Aqueous solutions of furosemide containing 10% alcohol (v/v) were prepared in phosphate buffers with various pH values (5, 6, and 9) whose ionic strength was adjusted to 0.1 M with potassium chloride. Some solutions contained chlorobutanol, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or sodium metabisulfite. Another set of aqueous solutions contained phosphate buffer (0.1 M), alcohol (10% v/v), and propylene glycol (40% v/v) with or without cysteine hydrochloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and sodium sulfite. The solutions were divided into two parts, stored at 24 and 50 degrees, and assayed frequently using a previously developed high-pressure liquid chromatographic procedure. At the lowest pH value (pH 5), furosemide appeared to be very unstable. Cysteine hydrochloride, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, and sodium sulfite failed to improve the stability of furosemide. Chlorobutanol and sodium metabisulfite had an adverse effect on the stability, probably due to the fact that they decreased the pH of the solution. The pH value appears to be the only critical factor for the stability of furosemide. Buffered solutions containing propylene glycol were very stable at both temperatures for 170 days, and they tasted good.

Analysis of nonexponential fluorescence decay data by a method of moments

A method of moments is presented for the analysis of convoluted fluorescence decay data when the impulse response function is given by f(t) = alpha exp (-At - Bt1/2). Examples of this method are given using both simulated and measured fluorescence decays. It is also shown that this method, used with moment index displacements, will correct for light-scatter leakage, zero-point time shifts, and slow lamp drift.

[Partial duodenopancreatectomy and intraoperative occlusion of the pancreatic tail for chronic pancreatitis (authors' translation)]

Report on 81 partial duodenopancreatectomies for chronic pancreatitis. To prevent a postoperative pancreatic fistula and the recurrence of pancreatitis the duct system of the pancreatic tail was occluded with a solution of prolamine. This occlusion leads to an isolate 'burning out' of the exocrine parenchyma. The operative mortality was 1.2%. Up to now a recurrence of chronic pancreatitis was not observed. The later results within an observation period of 28 months are favourable.

Effect of polyols on interaction of paraben preservatives with polysorbate 80

A quantitative study of the interaction of the methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl esters of p-hydroxybenzoic acid with polysorbate 80 in the presence and absence of two polyols (propylene glycol and glycerol), which were potential competitors, was performed. The results indicate that neither competitor displaced significant amounts of the parabens from their binding sites on polysorbate 80. The previously observed synergistic antimicrobial effects of these polyols appear to be due to a mechanism other than the displacement of the parabens from their micellar binding sites.

Foetal plasma magnesium levels during maternal hypo- or hypermagnesaemia in ewes

1. The influence of maternal hypo- or hypermagnesaemia of foetal plasma magnesium levels was studied in pregnant ewes between the 120th and the 145th day of gestation using a permanent catheter inserted in utero into the left aorta of the foetus on the 115th day of gestation. 2. In seven ewes, carrying eleven foetuses, the injection of 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol induced a hypomagnesaemia which lasted 72 h. This had no significant effect on foetal plasma Mg levels. 3. In five ewes, carrying six foetuses, hypermagnesaemia induced by a 2 h magnesium chloride infusion had no significant effect on foetal plasma Mg levels. 4. These results provide evidence that in sheep during the last 20 d of gestation the foetal regulation of plasma Mg is independent of the maternal plasma Mg levels.

Rhamnose-induced propanediol oxidoreductase in Escherichia coli: purification, properties, and comparison with the fucose-induced enzyme

Escherichia coli are capable of growing anaerobically on L-rhamnose as a sole source of carbon and energy and without any exogenous hydrogen acceptor. When grown under such condition, synthesis of a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide-linked L-lactaldehydepropanediol oxidoreductase is induced. The functioning of this enzyme results in the regeneration of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. The enzyme was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. It has a molecular weight of 76,000, with two subunits that are indistinguishable by electrophoretic mobility. The enzyme reduces L-lactaldehyde to L-1,2-propanediol with reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide as a cofactor. The Km were 0.035 mM L-lactaldehyde and 1.25 mM L-1,2-propanediol, at pH 7.0 and 9.5, respectively. The enzyme acts only on the L-isomers. Strong substrate inhibition was observed with L-1,2-propanediol (above 25 mM) in the dehydrogenase reaction. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 6.5 for the reduction of L-lactaldehyde and of 9.5 for the dehydrogenation of L-1,2-propanediol. The enzyme is, according to the parameters presented in this report, indistinguishable from the propanediol oxidoreductase induced by anaerobic growth on fucose.

A simple implantable system for delivery of halothane

A capsule for regulated halothane delivery after abdominal implantation in experimental animals is described. The capsule is constructed of readily available medical-grade polyethylene and Teflon tubing. At 37 C linear halothane release rates of 0.4 to 15 mg/hour may be obtained.

Prevention of diazepam-induced thrombophlebitis with cremophor as a solvent

In 104 patients undergoing anaesthesia of short duration, two different solvents, propylene glycol and cremophor, were compared in a double-blind trial. Diazepam 10 mg in a coded solution was injected into a superficial vein of the hand using a small-gauge needle. The vein was examined after 14 days. The frequency of thrombophlebitis with propylene glycol was 62.2% and with cremophor 3.4% (P less than 0.001). The frequency of pain on injection was also in favour of the new solvent (P less than 0.001). The possibility of anaphylactic reactions accredited to cremophor, however, restricts the use of the new injection.

Venous sequelae following etomidate

Five hundred patients receiving one of three different formulations of etomidate were observed on the 2nd and 3rd days after operation for possible venous sequelae. The total frequency of sequelae was 8% or more, the greatest being with the propylene glycol formulation (23%). Formulation of the drug and total dose employed were the most important factors influencing venous sequelae, which were not related to pain on injection.

Amino acid effect on aspirin stability in propylene glycol

Temperature stability studies were conducted on 0.36 M (6.5% W/V) aspirin solutions including either 0.02 M L-methionine or 0.02 M histidine in propylene glycol. Aspirin was determined spectrophoto-fluorometrically as salicylic acid content at 412 nm. A 0.36 M aspirin in polyethylene glycol 400 solution was studied concurrently. Aspirin degradation rate constants, k, obtained from semilogarithmic plots of percent drug remaining versus time at 30-70 +/- 0.5 degrees were used for preparing Arrhenius plots. Good correlation was seen between predicted aspirin stability and experimental k25 degrees values. L-Methionine and histidine markedly reduced aspirin stability.

[Comparison of the analgesic effect of nicomorphine in two different solutions (author's transl)]

The analgesic effect of nicomorphine in two different solutions was tested in 120 patients after cholecystectomy. The patients were divided into three groups: group I was given nicomorphine diluted with water, group II nicomorphine diluted with propylenglykol, group III propylenglykol alone. The degree of pain sensation was determined by interrogation. Pulse, respiratory rate, blood pressure as well as capillary pO2 and pCO2 were measured 10 and 30 minutes after medication. No difference in pain relief could be established in the two groups receiving nicomorphine. Respiratory depression with a significant decrease of respiratory rate together with an increase of pCO2 was observed in the two nicomorphine groups. In the placebo group there was no significant change in the tested parameters. A small decrease of pO2 was observed in all patients after laparotomy.

Evaluation of three preparations of etomidate

Three formulations of etomidate were evaluated in unpremedicated patients undergoing minor gynaecological procedures. There was a high frequency of pain on injection (up to 50%) and excitatory phenomena (up to 95%) with all formulations. The frequency of excitatory phenomena was significantly greater than that after methohexitone. Recovery was rapid, but emetic sequelae were frequent and significantly more marked than after methohexitone.

Quantitation of hindered rotations of diphenylhexatriene in lipid bilayers by differential polarized phase fluorometry

Diffusional motions of 1,6-diphenyl-1, 3, 5-hexatriene (DPH) were observed by differential polarized phase fluorometry. The measurements indicated that the depolarizing rotations of DPH in propylene glycol are isotropic. The results in vesicles of dimyristoyl-l-alpha-phosphatidylcholine indicated that diffusional rotations of DPH are dominated by hindered torsional motions. Combined use of both differential phase and steady-state anisotropy measurements showed that the average rotational angle of DPH, at times long compared to the fluorescence lifetime, is limited to about 23 degrees at temperatures below the transition temperature of the lipid and that these rotations become less hindered above the transition temperature. The evidence that the depolarizing rotations of DPH in a lipid bilayer are different from those in an isotropic solvent calls into question the meaning of membrane microviscosity as determined by fluorescence anisotropy.