Double contrast barium enema in children: the "3-7 pump" method.
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A new contrast agent has been developed for the opacification of the esophageal lumen in Magnetic Resonance (MR) Imaging. The contrast agent consists of an emulsion of low-density and high-viscosity barium paste employed for the CT study of the esophagus (E.Z.E.M., Westbury, USA) and a small amount of Gadolinium-DTPA (Magnevist, Schering, Germany), diluted in 3 ml of saline solution. In vitro evaluation of the contrast solution showed high-signal intensity on T1-weighted SE sequences. The study was subsequently performed on 5 healthy volunteers and 30 subjects with clinical indication for MR Imaging of the chest. The complete opacification of the esophagus was obtained in 12 of the 16 patients (75%) who presented no pathological involvement of the esophagus. The esophageal lumen was completely opacified in 8 patients with esophageal carcinoma and in 1 case of esophageal leiomyoma. In the cases with esophageal carcinoma, lumen opacification allowed the evaluation of tumor growth (concentric or eccentric), a more detailed definition of tumor extent, with assessment of neoplastic wall thickening, and the evaluation of the possible infiltration of adjacent organs. Lumen opacification was obtained in 8 of 10 patients (80%) affected with other chest conditions secondarily involving the esophagus. In these cases, lumen opacification helped to localize the esophagus and to evaluate its involvement by adjacent tumors.
The interference of dextran sulfate with the colorimetric determination of free cholesterol causes an increase in the absorbance that is proportional to the dextran sulfate concentration in the sample. This makes estimation of the free cholesterol concentration unreliable in high-density lipoprotein-containing supernates obtained after plasma precipitation with dextran sulfate/MgCl2. Analysis of the absorption spectrum demonstrated that the absorbance increase was due to turbidity. We observed this effect with colorimetric reagents based on potassium phosphate buffer but not with those based on sodium phosphate or Tris buffers. This effect is ascribed to dextran sulfate because neither the omission of Mg2+ ions nor their chelation with EDTA prevented turbidity, whereas precipitation of dextran sulfate with Ba2+ counteracted this effect. Therefore, potassium phosphate-buffered reagents appear unsuitable for colorimetric lipid determinations in samples containing dextran sulfate.
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Alginate-chitosan core-shell microcapsules were prepared in order to develop a biocompatible matrix for enzyme immobilization, where the protein is retained either in a liquid or solid core and the shell allows permeability control over substrates and products. The permeability coefficients of different molecular weight compounds (vitamin B2, vitamin B12, and myoglobin) were determined through sodium tripolyphosphate (Na-TPP)-crosslinked chitosan membrane. The microcapsule core was formed by crosslinking sodium alginate with either calcium or barium ions. The crosslinked alginate core was uniformly coated with a chitosan layer and crosslinked with Na-TPP. In the case of calcium alginate, the phosphate ions of Na-TPP were able to extract the calcium ions from alginate and liquefy the core. A model enzyme, beta-galactosidase, was immobilized in the alginate core and the catalytic activity was measured with o-nitrophenyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (ONPG). Change in the activity of free and immobilized enzyme was determined at three different temperatures. Na-TPP crosslinked chitosan membranes were found to be permeable to solutes of up to 17,000Da molecular weight. The enzyme loading efficiency was higher in the barium alginate core (100%) as compared to the calcium alginate core (60%). The rate of ONPG conversion to o-nitrophenol was faster in the case of calcium alginate-chitosan microcapsules as compared to barium alginate-chitosan microcapsules. Barium alginate-chitosan microcapsules, however, did improve the stability of the enzyme at 37 degrees C relative to calcium alginate-chitosan microcapsules or free enzyme. This study illustrates a new method of enzyme immobilization for biotechnology applications using liquid or solid core and shell microcapsule technology.
The synthesis, characterization, and reactivity of new polyether adducts of strontium and barium carboxylates of general composition M(O(2)CCF(3))(n)()(L) (M = Ba, L = 15-crown-5, (1); M = Ba (2), Sr (3), respectively, with L = tetraglyme are reported. The compounds were synthesized by reaction of BaCO(3) or MH(2) (M = Sr or Ba) with organic acids in the presence of the polyether ligands. These compounds have been characterized by IR and (13)C and (1)H NMR spectroscopies, elemental analyses, and thermogravimetric analysis. The species Ba(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)(15-crown-5)(2) (1) and [Ba(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)(tetraglyme)](infinity) (2), were also characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Ba(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)(15-crown-5)(2) (1) crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Cccm with cell dimensions of a = 13.949(1) Å, b = 19.376(2) Å, c = 16.029(1) Å, and Z = 8. [Ba(2)(O(2)CCF(3))(4)(tetraglyme)](infinity) (2) crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with cell dimensions of a = 12.8673(12) Å, b = 16.6981(13) Å, c = 15.1191(12) Å, beta = 99.049(8) degrees, and Z = 4. Compounds 1-3 thermally decompose at high temperatures in the solid state to give MF(2). However, solutions of compounds 1-3 dissolved in ethanol with Ti(O-i-Pr)(4) give crystalline perovskite phase MTiO(3) films, or in the case of mixtures of 2 and 3, Ba(1)(-)(x)()Sr(x)()TiO(3) films below 600 degrees C when spin coated onto silicon substrates and thermally treated. The crystallinity, purity, and elemental composition of the films was determined by glancing angle X-ray diffraction and Auger electron spectroscopy.
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Following blockade of plasma membrane potassium channels with barium or tetraethylammonium chloride, release of cholecystokinin was increased in an intestinal cell line (STC-1). Treatment with calcium channel blockers inhibited barium- or TEA-induced secretion. Barium chloride also stimulated 45Ca efflux from STC-1 cells. Whole cell patch clamp recordings revealed a voltage-activated, L-type calcium current. We conclude that, inhibition of basally active potassium channels may depolarize STC-1 cells, producing activation of voltage-gated calcium influx pathways. Influx of calcium may lead to a release of intracellular calcium which stimulates cholecystokinin secretion.
The large conductance Ca(2+)-activated K+ channels in differentiated mouse neuroblastoma N1E-115 cells have been studied using patch-clamp single-channel current recording in excised membrane patches. These channels displayed a unitary conductance of 200 pS under symmetrical K+ concentrations. Effects of blockade by TEA+, Cs+ and Ba2+ were different and argued for distinct action mechanisms. The open probability of these channels increased with increasing internal calcium and membrane potential. Maximum sensitivity of these channels ranged over physiological variations of internal calcium at membrane potentials close to zero, suggesting a physiological role for these channels in regulating the membrane potential and Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels.
The intrinsic fluorescence of purified Ca-ATPase from skeletal sarcoplasmic reticulum was measured in the presence of various concentrations of Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+. Ca2+ and Sr2+ induce positive cooperative fluorescence enhancement, whereas Ba2+ does not change the fluorescence of ATPase. ATP does not seem to modify the kinetic parameters of Ca2+ and Sr2+ binding to ATPase. Nevertheless, p-nitrophenylphosphate hydrolysis, activated by Ca2+ or Sr2+ at various pHs, changes the affinity and the cooperative behavior for both cations and two components appear in the Hill plots. For Ca2+, nH of 1.6 to 3.5 were obtained, and 1.06 to 1.83 for Sr2+; nH changes of the second component seem to be pH dependent. Differences in the ratio between rates of Ca2+ transport and substrate hydrolysis by sarcoplasmic reticulum were found, i.e., two for ATP and one for p-nitrophenylphosphate. For Sr2+ this ratio was one for either ATP or p-nitrophenylphosphate.
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Sodium picosulphate (Picolax) is widely used for bowel preparation prior to colonic investigation or surgery. The most troublesome side effect reported is headache, which has been thought to be due to dehydration. In a prospective randomized study we investigated the incidence of adverse effects in patients given Picolax prior to barium enema examination, and assessed the incidence of adverse effects with different oral fluid regimens. A total of 197 outpatients were allocated to one of five fluid regimens on the day prior to the enema: (a) 4 pints of Dioralyte (glucose and electrolyte solution); (b) 4 pints of half-strength Dioralyte; (c) 4 pints of water; (d) 6 pints of water; and (e) free fluids. In a questionnaire, 36% of patients had no headache (graded 0/5), while 38% had a significant headache (graded 3/5 or greater). Sixteen per cent had significant abdominal pain, 42% had dry mouths, 43% thirst and 34% tiredness or irritability. There was no correlation between headache and fluid regimen. Furthermore, we have found no evidence of dehydration. None of the five fluid regimens was shown to offer any advantage, and we therefore recommend that patients be allowed to drink according to thirst when taking Picolax.
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The formation constants of ternary complexes (MUO2(CO3)3(2-) and M2UO2(CO3)3(0)) of uranyl and carbonate with alkaline earth metals (M2+ denotes Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+) were determined with an anion exchange method by varying the metal concentrations (0.1-5 mmol/L) at pH 8.1 and a constant ionic strength (0.1 mol/L NaNO3) under equilibrium with atmospheric CO2. The results indicate that the complexes of MUO2(CO3)3(2-) and M2UO2(CO3)3 are simultaneously formed for Ca2+ and Ba2+, while Mg2+ and Sr2+ form only the MUO2(CO3)3(2-) complex under our experimental conditions. The cumulative stability constants for the MUO2(CO3)3(2-) complex obtained at / = 0 are as follows: logbeta113 = 26.11 +/- 0.04, 27.18 +/- 0.06, 26.86 +/- 0.04, and 26.68 +/- 0.04 for Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+, respectively. For M2UO2(CO3)3(0), the value of logbeta213 at / = 0 was measured to be 30.70 +/- 0.05 and 29.75 +/- 0.07 for Ca2+ and Ba2+, respectively. Based on the formation constants obtained in this study, speciation calculations indicate that at low Ca2+ concentration (e.g., <2.2 mmol/L), CaUO2(CO3)3(2-) is more important than Ca2UO2(CO3)3 and that the Ca2UO2(CO3)3 distribution increased with increasing Ca2+ concentration. Uranium sorption onto anion-exchange resins is inhibited by the formation of the neutral Ca2UO2(CO3)3(0) species.
Lanthanum hexaboride is one of the cathode materials most used in high-power electronics technology, but the many experimental results do not provide a consistent picture of the surface properties. Therefore, we report the first ab initio calculations of the work functions and surface energies of the (001), (011), (111), (112), and (012) surfaces by considering the different surface terminations and structural relaxation. Either the (111)B- or the (001)La-terminated surface is the most stable, depending on La chemical potential. The work function of the latter is the lowest (2.07 eV) of the surfaces considered. Both the work function and surface energy decrease further when surface La is replaced by Ba and become, respectively, 1.43 and 7.7 eV/nm(2) at the chemical potentials of elemental lanthanum and barium bulk. These results compare favorably with previous work on the intermetallics BaAl(4), CaAl(4), and BaAuIn(3). Their most stable surfaces possess the lowest work function. Now, we study a compound with a decidedly different crystal type and with its constituting elements from column 3 of the periodic table, of which one is nonmetallic.