On-line Microwave Slurry Sample Digestion Using Flow Systems For The Spectrophotometric Determination Of Iron In Seafood

A method for the spectrophotometric determination of iron in seafood slurry samples based on microwave assisted digestion has been developed. The stabilized slurry (200 μl) is introduced in a flow system and transported by an air carrier stream to a digestion coil positioned inside the microwave oven. After the digestion step (10 or 20 min at maximum power) the flushing solution is collected in a calibrated flask. A 200 μl-digested sample is introduced in a flow injection system and the iron determined at 512 nm with 1,10-phenanthroline. The proposed method features a linear range from 50 to 200 μg l-1 (r > 0.999) presenting a precision, expressed as RSD, of 3.7% (n = 10) for repeatability and 5.0% (n = 30) for reproducibility. Accuracy was assessed by using Standard and Certified Reference Materials.123510231028Kingston, H.M., Jassie, L.B., (1988) Introduction to Microwave Sample Preparation - Theory and Practice, p. 263. , American Chemical Society, Washington, DCValcárcel, M., Luque De Castro, M.D., Tena, M.Y., (1993) Extracción con Fluidos Supercríticos en el Processo Analítico, p. 469. , Editorial Reverté S. A., BarcelonaBurguera, M., Burguera, J.L., (1996) Quím. Anal., 15, p. 112De La Guardia, M., Salvador, A., Burguera, J.L., Burguera, M.J., (1988) Flow Injection Anal., 5, p. 121Arruda, M.A.Z., Santelli, R.E., (1997) Quím. Nova, 20, p. 638De La Guardia, M., Carbonell, V., Morales-Rubio, A., Salvador, A., (1993) Talanta, 40, p. 1609Burguera, J.L., Burguera, M., Brunetto, M.R., (1993) At. Spectrosc., 14, p. 90Burguera, M., Burguera, J.L., Alarcón, O.M., (1996) Anal. Chim. Acta, 179, p. 351Burguera, M., Burguera, J.L., Alarcón, O.M., (1988) Anal. Chim. Acta, 214, p. 421Bryce, D.W., Izquierdo, A., Luque De Castro, M.D., (1996) Anal. Chim. Acta, 324, p. 69Guo, T., Baasner, J., (1993) Talanta, 40, p. 1927Hanna, C.P., McIntosh, S.A., (1995) At. Spectrosc., 16, p. 106Morales-Rubio, A., Mena, M.L., McLeod, C.W., (1995) Anal. Chim. Acta, 308, p. 364Cabrera, C., Madrid, Y., Cámara, C., (1994) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 9, p. 1423López-Gonzálvez, M.A., Gómez, M.M., Cámara, C., Palacios, M.A., (1994) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 9, p. 291Gluodenis Jr., T.J., Tyson, J.F., (1993) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 8, p. 697Burguera, M., Burguera, J.L., Rondón, C., Rivas, C., Carrero, P., Gallignani, M., Brunetto, M.R., (1995) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 10, p. 343Burguera, J.L., Burguera, M., (1993) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 8, p. 235Arruda, M.A.Z., Gallego, M., Valcárcel, M., (1996) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 11, p. 169Sooksamiti, P., Geckeis, H., Grudpan, K., (1996) Analyst, 121, p. 1413Cuesta, A., Todoli, J.L., Canals, A., (1996) Spectrochim. Acta, Part B, 51, p. 1791Bordera, L., Hernandis, V., Canal, A., Chem, F.A., (1996), 355, p. 112Lafuente, J.M.G., Sánchez, M.L.F., Marchante-Gayón, J.M., Uria, J.E.S., Sanz-Medel, A., (1996) Spectrochim.. Acta Part B, 51, p. 1849Chakraborty, R., Das, A.K., Cervera, M.L., De La Guardia, M., (1997) Anal. Lett., 30 (2), p. 283De Almeida, M.D., Leandro, K.C., Da Costa, C.V., Santelli, R.E., De La Guardia, M., (1997) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 12, p. 1235Maksimova, I.M., Morosanova, E.I., Kuz'min, N.M., Zolotov, Y.A., (1997) Fresenius' J. Anal. Chem., 357, p. 946Carlosena, A., Gallego, M., Valcárcel, M., (1997) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 12, p. 479Balconi, M.L., Borgarello, M., Ferracioli, R., Realini, F., (1992) Anal. Chim. Acta, 261, p. 295Schmitt, A., Buttle, L., Uglow, R., Williams, K., Haswell, S., (1993) Anal. Chim. Acta, 284, p. 249Benson, R.L., McKelvie, I.D., Hart, B.T., Hamilton, I.C., (1994) Anal. Chim. Acta, 291, p. 249Williams, K.E., Haswell, S.J., Barclay, D.A., Preston, G., (1993) Analyst, 118, p. 245Bergamin, H.Fo., Reis, B.F., Jacintho, A.O., Zagatto, E.A.G., (1980) Anal. Chim. Acta, 117, p. 81Mortatti, J., Krug, F.J., Pessenda, L.C.R., Zagatto, E.A.G., Jørgensen, S.S., (1982) Analyst, 107, p. 659Arruda, M.A.Z., Fostier, A.H., Krug, F.J., (1997) J. Braz. Chem. Soc., 8, p. 39Fostier, A.H., Ferreira, J.R., (1995) Quím. Nova, 18, p. 425Miller-Ihli, N.J., (1988) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 3, p. 73Bendicho, C., De Loos-Vollebregt, M.T.C., (1991) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 6, p. 353Januzzi, G.S.B., Krug, F.J., Arruda, M.A.Z., (1997) J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 12, p. 375(1987) Analyst, 112, p. 19

Prevalence of Depression and its Associated Factors Among Adults during Third Wave of COVID-19 Pandemic in Malaysia, 2021

Malaysia recently entered third-wave of COVID-19 pandemic starting from October 2020 to end of January 2021. Therefore, objective of our study was to identify the prevalence of depression and its associated factors among adults during third wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. A total of 1468 Malaysian adults participated in this cross-sectional web-based survey. A standardized questionnaire was generated using the Google Form, and the link was shared through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and WhatsApp. Patient Health Questionnaires (PHQ-9) was used to assess the levels of depression. Among 1468 participants, 320 (22 %) and 358 (24.6 %) indicated to have moderate to severe depression during third-wave of COVID-19 in Malaysia. Multiple predictors were identified that contributed to depression. These included female gender, family’s source income affected by the pandemic, do not perform exercise, victim of abuse and those with family and/or friends infected with COVID-19 virus. COVID-19 pandemic had caused the implementation of lockdown and physical distancing in Malaysia and nations across the globe. The pandemic had brought serious negative impacts on mental health of the adults especially depression especially during third wave of pandemic. The findings of our study suggested that new interventions or strategies are needed to be developed to address the severity of depression among Malaysian adults

Histopathological characterization of experimentally induced cutaneous loxoscelism in rabbits inoculated with Loxosceles similis venom

Envenomation by Loxosceles bites is characterized by dermonecrotic and/or systemic features that lead to several clinical signs and symptoms called loxoscelism. Dermonecrotic lesions are preceded by thrombosis of the dermal plexus. Recent studies show that atheromatous plaque is prone to thrombosis due to endothelial cell apoptosis. To the best of our knowledge, there are no reports of microscopic dermal lesion and endothelial cell apoptosis induced by Loxosceles similis venom in the literature. Thus, the aim of the present study is to describe histological lesions induced by L. similis venom in rabbit skin and to elucidate whether apoptosis of endothelial cells is involved in the pathogenesis of loxoscelism. Forty male rabbits were split into two groups: the control group (intradermally injected with 50 µL of PBS) and the experimental group (intradermally injected with 0.5 µg of L. similis crude venom diluted in 50 µL of PBS). After 2, 4, 6 and 8 hours of injection, skin fragments were collected and processed for paraffin or methacrylate embedding. Sections of 5 µm thick were stained by HE, PAS or submitted to TUNEL reaction. Microscopically, severe edema, diffuse heterophilic inflammatory infiltrate, perivascular heterophilic infiltrate, thrombosis, fibrinoid necrosis of arteriolar wall and cutaneous muscle necrosis were observed. Two hours after venom injection, endothelial cells with apoptosis morphology were evidenced in the dermal plexus. Apoptosis was confirmed by TUNEL reaction. It seems that endothelial cell apoptosis and its consequent desquamation is an important factor that induces thrombosis and culminates in dermonecrosis, which is characteristic of cutaneous loxoscelism

Lower NPAS3 expression during the later stages of abnormal lung development in rat congenital diaphragmatic hernia

Purpose Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by a developmental defect in the diaphragm, pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension. NPAS3 is a PAS domain transcription factor regulating Drosophila tracheogenesis. NPAS3 null mice develop pulmonary hypoplasia in utero and die after birth due to respiratory failure. We aimed to evaluate NPAS3 expres- sion during normal and abnormal lung development due to CDH. Methods CDH was induced by administering 100 mg/ml nitrofen to time-pregnant dams on embryonic day (E) 9 of gestation. Lungs were isolated on E15, E18 and E21 and NPAS3 localization was determined by immunohisto- chemistry and quantified using Western blotting. Results We found that only E21 hypoplastic CDH lungs have reduced expression of NPAS3 in the terminal sac- cules. Western blotting confirmed the down-regulation of NPAS3 protein in the nitrofen-induced hypoplastic lungs. Conclusions We demonstrate for the first time that ni- trofen-induced hypoplastic CDH lungs have reduced NPAS3 expression in the terminal saccules during the later stages of abnormal lung development. Our findings suggest that NPAS3 is associated with pulmonary hypoplasia in CDH.Supported by the Children’s Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba; RK is the recipient of a Career Enhancement Award from the Canadian Child Health Clinician Scientist Program and a New Investigator Salary Award from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, Manitoba Lung Association and the Children’s Hospital Research Institute

A Rationale for Schistosomiasis Control in Elementary Schools of the Rainforest Zone of Pernambuco, Brazil

In 2001, a World Health Assembly resolution urged member states to ensure treatment against schistosomiasis and soil-transmitted helminthiasis in endemic areas with the goal of attaining a minimum target of at least 75% of all school-aged children by 2010. In the highly endemic Rainforest Zone of Pernambuco (ZMP), northeast Brazil, the Schistosomiasis Control Program has registered a cumulative coverage of only 20% of the population at risk, which jeopardizes the accomplishment of the minimum target for that area. Demographic and parasitological data from a representative municipality of the ZMP provide evidence that the current, community-based approach to control can be complemented with school-based actions. In the most troubled municipalities, individual diagnosis and treatment could be focused on school-aged children rather than whole populations without compromising the principles of the primary health care system. Local health and education teams should be encouraged to include school-based interventions to scale up coverage and achieve a rapid impact on infection