Aldehydes in exhaled breath condensate of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate whether individual aldehydes resulting from lipid peroxidation can be measured in exhaled breath condensate, (2) to assess the influence of sampling procedures on aldehyde concentrations, and (3) to compare aldehyde levels of patients with stable, moderate to severe, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with those of smoking and nonsmoking control subjects. Aldehydes (malondialdehyde, hexanal, heptanal, and nonanal) were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in all samples and overlapping results were obtained by different sampling procedures. Malondialdehyde (57.2 +/- 2.4 nmol/L), hexanal (63.5 +/- 4.4 nmol/L), and heptanal (26.6 +/- 3.9 nmol/L) were increased in patients as compared with nonsmoking control subjects (17.7 +/- 5.5 nmol/L, p < 0.0001; 14.2 +/- 3.5 nmol/L, p = 0.004; and 18.7 +/- 0.9 nmol/L, p = 0.002, respectively). Only malondialdehyde was increased in patients compared with smoking control subjects (35.6 +/- 4.0 nmol/L, p = 0.0007). In conclusion, different classes of aldehydes were identified in exhaled breath condensate of humans. Whereas all aldehydes but nonanal were lower in control subjects as compared with other groups, only malondialdehyde distinguished smoking control subjects from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and could be envisaged as a biomarker potentially useful to monitor the disease and its response to therapy

Evaluación de productos botánicos y químicos para el manejo del acaro blanco (Poliphagotarsonemus latus, Bank) y otras plagas claves en el cultivo de chiltoma (Capsicum annuum L.) y su efecto en los enemigos naturales en Tisma, Masaya

El ácaro blanco ( Poliphagotarsonemus latus , Bank), es uno de los problemas fitosanitarios más severos para los productores de chiltoma ( Capsicum annuum , L.) en el municipio de Tisma, Masaya. Esta plaga ha ocasionado importantes pérdidas económicas, ya que reduce los rendimientos, disminuyendo así la calidad de los frutos y aumenta los costos de producción. En vista de este problema en el municipio de Tisma, se realizó un estudio con en el objetivo de evaluar productos botánicos y químicos para el manejo del ácaro blanco en chiltoma en el período comprendido entre los meses de Julio a Octubre del año 2009, donde se evaluaron algunos productos botánicos y químicos para el manejo del ácaro blanco. Los productos evaluados fueron: Chile + Jabón, Oberón, Neem, Vertimec, Ajo + jabón en comparación con el Testigo. Las variables evaluadas fueron: Fluctuación poblacional del ácaro blanco , Incidencia y Severidad de daño de ácaro por planta, rendimiento (Kg/ha-1) y fluctuación poblacional de organismos plagas y benéficos asociados al cultivo de la chiltoma como: Mosca blanca ( Bemisia tabaci), Áfidos (Aphis gossypii ), Minador de la hoja ( Liriomyza sp ), Mariquitas ( Coccinella sp ), Hormigas ( Atta sp ) y Arañas. Los resultados obtenidos en el estudio indican que el tratamiento Oberón presento la menor fluctuación poblacional de ácaro blanco seguido por los tratamientos Vertimec y Chile + jabón, el tratamiento Oberón fue el tratamiento con menor incidencia y severidad del daño de ácaro. El análisis económico realizado en este estudio determinó que el tratamiento Oberón fue el que presentó el mayor rendimiento y obtuvo el mayor beneficio neto, por el contrario el tratamiento que presentó los mayores costos variables fue el tratamiento Vertimec, seguido por el Neem. Además en este estudio se muestrearon las fluctuaciones poblacionales de otros organismos plagas y benéficos relacionados al cultivo de la chiltoma, donde resultados de este estudio demuestran que los productos utilizados para el manejo del ácaro blanco no tienen ningún efecto en las poblaciones de estos insectos

The effect of inhaled chromium on different exhaled breath condensate biomarkers among chrome-plating workers.

8nonenoneCAGLIERI A; GOLDONI M; ACAMPA O; ANDREOLI R; VETTORI MV; CORRADI M; APOSTOLI P; MUTTI ACaglieri, A; Goldoni, M; Acampa, O; Andreoli, R; Vettori, Mv; Corradi, M; Apostoli, Pietro; Mutti, A

Influence of condensation temperature on selected exhaled breath parameters

BACKGROUND: The effects of changes in cooling temperature on biomarker levels in exhaled breath condensate have been little investigated. The aim of the study was to test the effect of condensation temperature on the parameters of exhaled breath condensate and the levels of selected biomarkers. METHODS: Exhaled breath condensate was collected from 24 healthy subjects at temperatures of -10, -5, 0 and +5 C degrees. Selected parameters (condensed volume and conductivity) and biomarkers (hydrogen peroxide, malondialdehyde) were measured. RESULTS: There was a progressive increase in hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde concentrations, and condensate conductivity as the cooling temperature increased; total condensate volume increased as the cooling temperature decreased. CONCLUSION: The cooling temperature of exhaled breath condensate collection influenced selected biomarkers and potential normalizing factors (particularly conductivity) in different ways ex vivo. The temperature of exhaled breath condensate collection should be controlled and reported

The Effect of Inhaled Chromium on Different Exhaled Breath Condensate Biomarkers among Chrome-plating Workers.

Chromium is corrosive, cytotoxic, and carcinogenic for humans and can induce acute and chronic lung tissue toxicity. The aim of this study was to investigate Cr levels in exhaled breath condensate (EBC) of workers exposed to Cr(VI) and to assess their relationship with biochemical changes in the airways by analyzing EBC biomarkers of oxidative stress, namely, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA). EBC samples were collected from 24 chrome-plating workers employed in a chrome-plating plant both before and after the Friday work shift and before the work shift on the following Monday. Cr-EBC levels increased from the beginning (5.3 microg/L) to the end of Friday (6.4 microg/L) but were considerably lower on Monday morning (2.8 microg/L). A similar trend was observed for H2O2-EBC levels (which increased from 0.36 microM to 0.59 microM on Friday and were 0.19 microM on Monday morning) and MDA-EBC levels (which increased from 8.2 nM to 9.7 nM on Friday and were 6.6 nM on Monday). Cr-EBC levels correlated with those of H2O2-EBC (r = 0.54, p < 0.01) and MDA-EBC (r = 0.59, p < 0.01), as well as with urinary Cr levels (r = 0.25, p < 0.05). The results of this study demonstrate that EBC is a suitable matrix that can be used to investigate both Cr levels and biomarkers of free radical production sampling the epithelial-lining fluid of workers exposed to Cr(VI)

Health care delivery in type 2 diabetes. A survey in an Italian primary care practice

tAims: Evidence-based guidelines provide targets and performance measures for thetreatment of type 2 diabetic patients but a wide gap separates guidelines-driven recom-mendations from their clinical application, a phenomenon hindering the transfer of provenbenefits to affected populations.Methods: We analyzed the quality of diabetic care delivered by 8 general practitioners jointin a group practice attending 571 diabetic patients (5.6% of the total enlisted subjects) byassessing process (% of HbA1c, SBP and LDL-C determinations) and intermediate outcome (%of patients with HbA1c8%, systolic BP 140 mmHg, LDL-cholesterol130 mg/dL) indicators.Results: HbA1cwas at target in 49% of patients and >8% in 22%; SBP and LDL-C determinationwas available in about two-thirds of patients, only a minority at target for SBP and LDL-C.Antihyperglycemic and antihypertensive treatment was prescribed in most patients butonly a third was on statins. During the post-evaluation phase, percentages of patients withHbA1c>8%, SBP < 130 mmHg and LDL-C < 100 mg/dL and the drug prescription pattern didnot change.Conclusions: Several weaknesses affect primary care delivery to type 2 diabetic patients andefforts are needed to improve the management of this high-risk group