Analysis of polyphenolic composition and stability of magistral preparation based on salviae officinalis folium

A magistral preparation based on the sage leaf decoction or infusion is one of the most popular herbal prescriptions prepared in pharmacies in Lower Silesia (Poland) for gargling in the case of pharyngitis or mouth infections. Other components of this preparation are boric acid, aluminum(III) acetotartrate or Burow's solution, and glycerol. The study aimed to investigate the polyphenolic composition and relations between herbal and chemical ingredients that are present in this mixture in comparison with the traditional aqueous galenic forms - infusion and decoction. The analysis was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography with diode-array detector (HPLC-DAD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) methods. The main polyphenolic ingredients of sage leaf were rosmarinic acid (RA) and luteolin 7-O-β-glucuronide. The RA predominance was observed in the infusion, decoction and magistral preparation. Comparing the contents of analyzed polyphenols, it was confirmed that their levels in the decoction were higher than in the infusion. Thus, the pharmacological activity of the examined magistral preparation results from the presence of boric acid, aluminum(III) salts and polyphenolic components of sage leaf hot water extract. The succeeding study showed that in the presence of excess salts of aluminum(III) and boric acid, sage polyphenols are partially soluble in an aqueous medium (mainly phenolic acids) and complexed as precipitated sediment (especially flavonoids). The aqueous solutions of this preparation obtained according to the recommendation are cloudy, which suggests limited solubility of the formed complexes. Therefore, the therapeutic activity should be associated with the presence of water-soluble caffeic acid esters like rosmarinic acid. The influence of luteolin glycosides coordination complexes is not evident. The obtained results also confirm the stability of the examined prescription formulation in the conditions of cold storage (4-6OC) within 7 days from its production

148. Changes in lateral dimensions of irradiated volume and their impact on the accuracy of dose delivery during radiotherapy for head and neck cancer

AimTo assess changes in lateral dimensions of irradiated volume during head and neck cancer radiotherapy and their impact on dose delivery accuracy.Material and methodsLateral dimensions of irradiated volumes were measured in 5 predefined points using computed tomography, simulator and manually with calipers, prior to treatment and then bi-weekly. For each measurement reference point dose was calculated and verified using in vivo dosimetry. Early radiation reactions, patient's weight changes and the need to modify radiotherapy accessories were also assessed. All these parameters were analyzed in relation to tumor site and stage, treatment field size, radiation dose and the degree of radiation reactions.ResultsThe study included 33 head and neck cancer patients (24 men and 9 women) aged 24–77 (median 56). All patients were irradiated using the parallel opposed megavoltage fields ranging from 49 to 180 cm2 (median 121 cm2) to the dose of 44 to 80 Gy (median 66 Gy). Radiation reactions included mucositis (grade 3 – 1 patient, grade 2 – 17 patients, grade 1 – 13 patients) and dysphagia (grade 2 – 12 patients, grade 1 – 16 patients). The body mass changes during radiotherapy ranged from −18 to +4 kg (median −5 kg). In 1 patient radiotherapy accessories had to be modified three times during the treatment, in 6 – twice and in 10 – once. Lateral dimensions changes >5 mm occurred in all but one patient (range −37 to +16 mm). Theoretical doses calculated for changed dimensions varied from prescribed by −2.5% to +6% (median +2%). Differences larger than 5% were present in 4.8% of calculations. In vivo dose measurements (after introduction of necessary corrections) demonstrated difference from prescribed dose larger than 5% in 7.6% of measurements.ConclusionChanges in the lateral dimensions of irradiated volume during head and neck cancer radiotherapy may lead to some inaccuracies in delivered doses. Such situations may necessitate adequate corrections of dose calculations and modification of radiotherapy accessories during the course of treatment

Measurement of the electric dipole moments for transitions to rubidium Rydberg states via Autler-Townes splitting

We present the direct measurements of electric-dipole moments for $5P_{3/2}\to nD_{5/2}$ transitions with $20<n<48$ for Rubidium atoms. The measurements were performed in an ultracold sample via observation of the Autler-Townes splitting in a three-level ladder scheme, commonly used for 2-photon excitation of Rydberg states. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic measurement of the electric dipole moments for transitions from low excited states of rubidium to Rydberg states. Due to its simplicity and versatility, this method can be easily extended to other transitions and other atomic species with little constraints. Good agreement of the experimental results with theory proves the reliability of the measurement method.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures; figure 6 replaced with correct versio

Stability of coordination polymers in water: state of the art and towards a methodology for nonporous materials

A mini review on the study concerning water stability of coordination polymers (CPs) is presented. Next, following the procedure proposed recently by Gelfand and Shimizu (Dalton Trans 45:3668-3678, 2016) the stability of three cysteine (Cys)containing CPs is investigated. The stability of studied CPs decreases in the order: Zn(Cys)(2)>Mg(Cys)(2)>Ca(Cys)(2) H2O. For the latternever reported before, the structure is additionally determined and it is proved that water is located in the first coordination sphere. It is shown that for nonporous CPs, in contrast to the porous ones, the immersion in water at 20 degrees C is more drastic for studied solids than the harsh humid conditions (80 degrees C at 90% R.H.). Finally all materials are assigned to the hydrolytic stability groups and it is concluded that the stability of studied CPs correlates well with the standard reduction potentials. This leads to the conclusion that the application of more inert metal as a node causes larger stability of studied CPs

Shrinking Point Bifurcations of Resonance Tongues for Piecewise-Smooth, Continuous Maps

Resonance tongues are mode-locking regions of parameter space in which stable periodic solutions occur; they commonly occur, for example, near Neimark-Sacker bifurcations. For piecewise-smooth, continuous maps these tongues typically have a distinctive lens-chain (or sausage) shape in two-parameter bifurcation diagrams. We give a symbolic description of a class of "rotational" periodic solutions that display lens-chain structures for a general $N$-dimensional map. We then unfold the codimension-two, shrinking point bifurcation, where the tongues have zero width. A number of codimension-one bifurcation curves emanate from shrinking points and we determine those that form tongue boundaries.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figure

Gemini surfactant as multifunctional corrosion and biocorrosion inhibitors for mild steel

Biocorrosion is an important type of corrosion which leads to economic losses across oil and gas industries, due to increased monitoring, maintenance, and a reduction in platform availability. Ideally, a chemical compound engineered to mitigate against biocorrosion would possess both antimicrobial properties, as well as efficient corrosion inhibition. Gemini surfactants have shown efficacy in both of these properties, however there still remains a lack of electrochemical information regarding biocorrosion inhibition. The inhibition of corrosion and biocorrosion, by cationic gemini surfactants, of carbon steel was investigated. The results showed that the inhibition efficiency of the gemini surfactants was high (consistently >95%), even at low concentrations. Gemini surfactants also showed strong antimicrobial activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (0.018 mM). Corrosion inhibition was investigated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and linear polarisation resistance (LPR), with biocorrosion experiments carried out in an anaerobic environment. Surface morphology was analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)

Symptomatic hypogammaglobulinemia in infancy and childhood – clinical outcome and in vitro immune responses

BACKGROUND: Symptomatic hypogammaglobulinemia in infancy and childhood (SHIC), may be an early manifestation of a primary immunodeficiency or a maturational delay in the normal production of immunoglobulins (Ig). We aimed to evaluate the natural course of SHIC and correlate in vitro lymphoproliferative and secretory responses with recovery of immunoglobulin values and clinical resolution. METHODS: Children, older than 1 year of age, referred to our specialist clinic because of recurrent infections and serum immunoglobulin (Ig) levels 2 SD below the mean for age, were followed for a period of 8 years. Patient with any known familial, clinical or laboratory evidence of cellular immunodeficiency or other immunodeficiency syndromes were excluded from this cohort. Evaluation at 6- to 12-months intervals continued up to 1 year after resolution of symptoms. In a subgroup of patients, in vitro lymphocyte proliferation and Ig secretion in response to mitogens was performed. RESULTS: 32 children, 24 (75%) males, 8 (25%) females, mean age 3.4 years fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Clinical presentation: ENT infections 69%, respiratory 81%, diarrhea 12.5%. During follow-up, 17 (53%) normalized serum Ig levels and were diagnosed as transient hypogammaglobulinemia of infancy (THGI). THGI patients did not differ clinically or demographically from non-transient patients, both having a benign clinical outcome. In vitro Ig secretory responses, were lower in hypogammaglobulinemic, compared to normal children and did not normalize concomitantly with serum Ig's in THGI patients. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of children with SHIC in the first decade of life have THGI. Resolution of symptoms as well as normalization of Ig values may be delayed, but overall the clinical outcome is good and the clinical course benign

Auto-regressive moving average analysis of linear and discontinuous models of human balance during quiet standing

Linear Time Invariant (LTI) processes can be modelled by means of Auto-Regressive Moving Average (ARMA) model systems. In this paper, we examine whether an ARMA model can be fitted to a process characterised by switched nonlinearities. In particular, we conduct the following test: we generate data from known LTI and nonlinear (threshold/dead-zone) models of human balance and analyse the output using ARMA. We show that both these known systems can be fitted, according to standard criteria, with low order ARMA models. To check if there are some obvious effects of the dead-zone, we compare the power spectra of both systems with the power spectra of their ARMA models. We then examine spectral properties of three posturographic data sets and their ARMA models and compare them with the power spectra of our model systems. Finally, we examine the dynamics of our model systems in the absence of noise to determine what is the effect of the switching threshold (dead-zone) on the asymptotic dynamics