Six cularine alkaloids, cularicine, O-methylcularicine, celtisine, cularidine, cularine and celtine, three isocularine alkaloids, sarcophylline, sarcocapnine and sarcocapnidine, and five non-cularine alkaloids, glaucine, protopine, ribasine, dihydrosanguinarine and chelidonine, were identified and quantified by GC-MS in nine taxa of the genus Sarcocapnos (Fumariaceae). The chemotaxonomic significance of the results is discussed.

Alkaloids↗

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Prevalence of pertussis IgG antibodies in children in Palermo, Italy.

The prevalence of IgG antibodies to Bordetella pertussis in a sample of 615 1-12-year-old unvaccinated children in Palermo was estimated by ELISA. The overall prevalence was 56%; it increased from 24% in one to three-year-old children to 67% in 11-12-year-old children (p less than 0.01). IgG antibody prevalence was not associated with the father's years of schooling (OR 1), nor with the family size (OR 1.3; C.I. 95% = 0.8-2.2). For children aged one the three years, serological results showed that the history of pertussis reported by parents in questionnaires gave high specificity (93.2%) and negative predictive value (85.4%). Our seroepidemiological study evidences a great exposure of children to B. pertussis in Palermo, with a high proportion of infections occurring after three years of age.

Child↗

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The interactive seminar: an educational approach for voluntary HIV testing in a drug dependence treatment unit.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a pandemic disease with no known cure and limited effective strategies for prevention and control. It is one of the most devastating illnesses in contemporary society, and since 1982, certain populations, including intravenous drug users (IVDU), have been targeted as being at high risk for AIDS. Education is one strategy that seeks to address AIDS and the needs of IVDU. This retrospective study focused on the use of the interactive seminar or small-group discussion as an educational method to identify and describe its effect on the rate of voluntary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing among male subjects in a drug dependence treatment unit (DDTU). The subjects, 25 to 62 years old, were in treatment at a Medical Center for Veterans that was located in an urban environment. The medical records of 118 patients admitted to the unit during the year before and the year after the introduction of an HIV interactive seminar were studied. Analysis of data showed that drug users who participated in the interactive seminar had a higher rate of voluntary HIV testing than did those who did not participate; IVDU who participated in the interactive seminar had a higher rate of voluntary HIV testing than IVDU who did not participate in the seminar; drug users who completed the detoxification treatment and participated in the interactive seminar had a higher rate of voluntary HIV testing than did those who did not participate in the interactive seminar.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

AIDS Serodiagnosis↗

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Myocardial iodine-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine 123 uptake relates to age.

BACKGROUND: 123I-labeled metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) is used increasingly to assess cardiac adrenergic neuron function. Few studies have reported data on myocardial MIBG uptake in relation to age, with contradictory results. This study reports the results of myocardial MIBG studies in untreated patients with cancer to assess the influence of age on myocardial MIBG uptake. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirty-nine patients with cancer enrolled in a study to assess the effect of doxorubicin administration on adrenergic neuron function underwent baseline studies with 123I-MIBG before chemotherapy. None of the patients had a history of neuropathy, previous cardiac disease, or previous chemotherapy or mediastinal radiotherapy. Myocardial MIBG uptake was quantified by a heart/mediastinal ratio (HMR) 4 hours after intravenous administration of 5 mCi 123I-MIBG. The mean age of patients was 38 years, ranging from 16 to 75 years. Ten patients were below 20 years, 13 patients were between 20 and 40 years, six patients were between 40 and 60 years, and 10 patients were greater than 60 years of age. Myocardial 123I-MIBG uptake was observed in all patients, with a mean HMR of 1.85 +/- 0.29 (range 1.31 to 2.62). HMR correlated with age (r = -0.6264; p < 0.001). A decrease in 123I-MIBG uptake with aging was observed. The mean HMR of patients of less than 20 years was 2.07, of patients between 20 and 40 years 1.89, of patients between 40 and 60 years 1.83, and of patients greater than 60 years 1.56. The best separation was observed comparing patients who were greater than 60 years (mean HMR 1.56 +/- 0.16; range 1.31 to 1.78) with patients who were less than 60 years of age (mean HMR 1.95 +/- 0.24; range 1.56 to 2.62; p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial 123I-MIBG uptake relates to age. A decrease in myocardial MIBG uptake is observed with aging, especially in those patients over 60 years of age. The influence of age on myocardial MIBG uptake has to be taken into account when studies are designed to assess cardiac adrenergic neuron function with 123I-MIBG.

3-Iodobenzylguanidine↗

PubMedDate not supplied

CT of abdominal barium intravasation.

We report a case of barium intravasation due to misplacement of the catheter tip during a barium enema examination, leading to vaginal laceration and barium sequestration within the reticuloendothelial system of a 57-year-old woman who survived this potentially fatal event. The radiologic appearance on CT, sonography, MR, and plain radiography is presented. Computed tomography demonstrated barium sequestered by the liver, spleen, and renal cortex. The portal veins were seen as branching radiolucent densities superimposed on a dense parenchymal background.

Barium Sulfate↗

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Drugs of abuse and brain gene expression.

Addictive drugs like cocaine, ethanol, and morphine activate signal transduction pathways that regulate brain gene expression. Such regulation is modulated by the presence of certain transcription factor proteins present in a given neuron. This article summarizes the effects of several addictive drugs on transcriptional processes contributing to the development of a drug-dependent state. The characterization of drug-induced changes in gene expression shows promise for improving our understanding of drug-addiction phenomena and cellular modes of cocaine, ethanol, and morphine action.

Animals↗

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