A Rapid UHPLC Method for the Simultaneous Determination of Drugs from Different Therapeutic Groups in Surface Water and Wastewater

A SPE-UHPLC-UV method for the determination of 13 pharmaceuticals from different therapeutic groups in surface water and wastewater samples was proposed. The following three solid-phase-extraction (SPE) columns with polymeric sorbents were used as a pre-concentration step: the Oasis HLB (average recoveries 93.8 %), the Nexus (84.0 %) and the Bond Elut ENV (88.3 %). A reverse-phase UHPLC with a C18e monolithic column and gradient elution program was used to obtain the best separations for all 13 drugs in short analysis time (3.4 min). The LOD range for determined drugs was 0.02–0.18 μg L−1, and the concentration range for drugs found in water samples was 0.06–0.90 μg L−1. The proposed method was used to analyze different water samples, mostly from rivers, and can be used as a monitoring tool for environmental pollution

Poland: Fertility decline as a response to profound societal and labour market changes?

This article opens with a review of the main trends in family-related behaviour, i.e. fertility decline and changes in fertility patterns, a decreasing propensity to marry, postponement of marriage, and a slowly increasing frequency of divorces and separations. The analysis takes into account urban and rural differences. We then aim to identify the main determinants of family changes within the general conceptual framework of the Second Democratic Transition (SDT) in Poland. However, contrary to mainstream interpretations of the SDT, the main emphasis of this study is on the structural components of change, which need to be reformulated to account for processes specific to the transition to a market economy. The focus is, therefore, on labour market developments and family policy, and to a lesser extent on ideational change.childbearing, Europe, fertility, fertility decline, Poland

HIGH PERFORMANCE LIQUID CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR DETERMINATION OF METOPROLOL ENANTIOMERS IN PHARMACEUTICAL FORMULATIONS

A novel high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detector (HPLC-FL) method for determination of metoprolol enantiomers in a pharmaceutical formulation was developed and validated. This study investigated the ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) of metoprolol from commercial tablets using methanol as extraction solvent. The separation of enantiomers was successfully carried out with a CHIRALCEL OD-RH column, under isocratic elution mode using 0.05% trifluoroacetic acid and 0.05% diethylamine in water and acetonitrile (80:20, v/v).The chromatographic method was validated in terms of precision, accuracy, detection and quantification limits, linearity and recovery. Calibration curves were linear in the investigated range with correlation coefficient better than 0.9931 while the limit of quantifications was 0.19 µg mL-1 for S(–)-MET and 0.23 µg mL-1 for R(+)-MET. The mean recovery of S(–)-MET and R(+)-MET from tablets were found to be 78.8% and 92.1%, respectively.This method for the direct determination and quantification of metoprolol enantiomers in pharmaceutical formulations is suitable for routine analyses in quality control laboratories and was applied to evaluate for the first time, the presence and the quantities of cited analytes in commercially available formulation.Â

Haptoglobin 2-1 phenotype predicts rapid growth of abdominal aortic aneurysms

BackgroundHaptoglobin (Hp) polymorphism is associated with the prevalence and clinical evolution of many inflammatory diseases and atherosclerosis. Circulating neutrophils and neutrophil-associated proteases are an important initial component of experimental abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) formation. Elastase and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are elevated in patients with AAAs. This study assessed the relationship between AAA expansion and Hp phenotypes, neutrophil count, elastase, and CRP levels.MethodsEighty-three consecutive AAA patients underwent annual ultrasound scans. Three major Hp phenotypes (1-1, 2-1, and 2-2) were determined, and the neutrophil count, serum elastase, and high-sensitivity (hs) CRP levels were measured at the initial examination. After initial screening, patients were rescanned at 6- to 12-month intervals up to a period of 2 to 7 years. The mean yearly growth of the AAA largest transverse diameter was estimated for each group of Hp patients. The results are presented as median (interquartile range).ResultsHp 2-1 patients had a significantly higher growth rate (3.69 [2.40] mm/y) of AAA compared with patients with Hp 2-2 (1.24 [0.79], P < .00001) and Hp 1-1 (1.45 [0.68], P = .00004). This association remained significant in the multivariate analysis. Elevated elastase serum activity was also evident in AAA patients with Hp 2-1 (0.119 [0.084] arbitrary units) in contrast to Hp 2-2 (0.064 [0.041], P < .00001) and Hp 1-1 (0.071 [0.040], P = .0006) patients. CRP serum levels (mg/L) were significantly higher in patients with Hp 2-1 (7.2 [7.1]) than in Hp 2-2 (3.4 [3.1], P = .0058) and Hp 1-1 (2.8 [4.1], P = .044). The neutrophil count was not significantly different among Hp groups.ConclusionsThe Hp 2-1 phenotype showed a strong association with increased rates of the expansion of AAAs and may be a useful independent predictor of growth rate. Further large follow-up studies will be needed to investigate the pathomechanisms of association and the role of elastase and inflammation in the progression of AAA.Clinical RelevanceElective surgical or endovascular repair is recommended for large aneurysms, whereas small aneurysms are managed by watchful waiting. The diameter and rate of growth of the AAA are the most important determinants of the risk of rupture and in deciding when elective repair is justified. In the present study, the Hp 2-1 phenotype predicted rapid aneurysm expansion. This may have implications for the frequency of follow-up and timing of repair of AAA in patients with the Hp 2-1 phenotype

Effect of Repeated Cold Water Swimming Exercise on Adaptive Changes in Body Weight in Older Rats

The aim of this study was verification whether an 8-week-long swimming exercise training would induce adaptive changes in body weight in rats and whether possible changes would depend on aquatic environment temperature and animal sex. The exercisetrained groups swam 4 minutes a day, five days a week during eight week of housing. Exercise was performed by swimming in glass tanks containing tap water maintained according to group at 5 &plusmn;2&deg;C (cold group) and 36 &plusmn;2&deg;C (thermal neutral group). Before and after each week of the experiment, rats were weighed. When comparing the nature of changes in the body weight of rats exposed to swimming exercise training in cold water, attention should be paid to their dependence on sex. There were statistically significant changes in the nature of changes in body weight between male rats and female rats of the cold group (5&deg;C) as early as experimental week 2 until the end of the experiment (p &lt; 0.001). Interestingly, the females exposed to swimming exercise training at 5&deg;C were the only group in which an increase in body weight occurred during experimental week 8 in relation to baseline values

Androgen levels and apoptosis in the testis during postnatal development of finasteride-treated male rat offspring

Introduction. The hormone-dependent events that occur throughout the first wave of spermatogenesis, such as the establishment of the number of Sertoli cells (SCs) and spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) within the seminiferous cords and the setting up of the blood-testis barrier, are important for adult male fertility. Any changes in the T/DHT ratio can result in male subfertility or even infertility. In this study we aimed to evaluate effects of paternal exposure to 5-alpha reductase type 2 inhibitor, finasteride on litter size, androgen levels and germ cell apoptosis in male offspring during postnatal development. Material and methods. The subjects of the study were 7, 14, 21/22, 28, and 90-day-old Wistar male rats (F1:Fin) born from females fertilized by finasteride-treated rats. Offspring born from untreated parental animals were used as a control group (F1:Control). Animals and the collected testes were weighed, blood and intratesticular levels of T and DHT were measured by ELISA, and the apoptotic index of testicular cells was evaluated by TUNEL technique. Results. We observed difficulties in obtaining male newborns from female rats fertilized by finasteride-treated male rats. In the F1:Fin rats, changes in the body and testes weights occurred, and a lower number of apoptotic cells was found during postnatal maturation of the seminiferous epithelium. Changes in androgen concentrations during the first spermatogenesis wave and adult life were also evident. Conclusion. Finasteride treatment of male adult rats may not only cause a decrease in the fertility of parental rats, but also could lead to incorrect, androgen-sensitive course of spermatogenesis in their offspring

The immunoexpression of androgen receptor, estrogen receptors alpha and beta, vanilloid type 1 receptor and cytochrome p450 aromatase in rats testis chronically treated with letrozole, an aromatase inhibitor

The function of testis is under hormonal control and any disturbance of hormonal homeostasis can lead to morphological and physiological changes. Therefore the aim of the study was to investigate the expression of androgen and estrogen receptors (AR, ERs), vanilloid receptor (TRPV1), cytochrome P450 aromatase (P450arom), as well as apoptosis of cells in testis of adult rats chronically treated with letrozole (LT), a non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor, for 6 months. The testicular tissues were fixed in Bouin’s fixative and embedded in paraffin. Immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies (abs) against AR, ERa, P450arom, and polyclonalabs against ERβ, TRPV1, caspase-3 was applied. Long-lasting estradiol deficiency, as an effect of LT treatment, produced changes in the morphology of testis and altered the expression of the studied receptors in cells of the seminiferous tubules and rate of cell apoptosis. The immunostaining for AR was found in the nuclei of Sertoli cells and the cytoplasm of spermatogonia and spermatocytes in III–IV stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle. The intensity of staining for P450arom was lower in the testis of LT-treated rats as compared to control animals. The immunofluorescence of ERα and ERβ was observed exclusively in the nuclei of Leydig cells of LT-treated rats. There were no changes in localization of TRPV1, however, the intensity of reaction was stronger in germ cells of the seminiferous epithelium after LT treatment. The apoptosis in both groups of animals was observed within the population of spermatocytes and spermatids in II and III stages of the seminiferous epithelium cycle. In testis of LT-treated rats the immunoexpression of caspase-3 was additionally found in the germ cells in I and IV stages, and Sertoli, myoid and Leydig cells. In conclusion, our results underline the important role of letrozole treatment in the proper function of male reproductive system, and additionally demonstrate that hormonal imbalance can produce the morphological abnormalities in testis

Hormone concentration, metabolic disorders and immunoexpression of androgen and estrogen-alpha receptors in men with benign prostatic hyperplasia and testosterone deficiency syndrome

Introduction. A slight decrease in blood testosterone level in men is a physiological state associated with the aging. The aim of our study was to evaluate the occurrence of hormone and metabolic disorders, as well as the immunolocalization and immunoexpression of androgen receptors (AR) and estrogen-alpha receptors (ERa) in the prostates of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and coexisting testosterone deficiency syndrome (TDS). Material and methods. The study involved 150 men, diagnosed with and receiving pharmacological treatment for BPH. Concentrations of glucose, total cholesterol (TCh), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and triglycerides (TG) were determined in blood serum. Serum concentrations of total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), estradiol (E2), luteinizing hormone (LH), insulin (I), sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) were measured by ELISA. The number of AR-positive cells and ERa-positive cells were measured in prostate sections of men with BPH. Results. Patients eligible for transurethral resection of the prostate and TDS were significantly more likely to have higher abdominal circumference and higher serum levels of insulin and IGF-1 as well as lower levels of FT and SHBG than control subjects with BPH and no TDS. Quantitative analysis revealed 35.8% AR-positive colum­nar epithelial cells and 24.3% AR-positive stromal cells in prostates of BPH patients with TDS and 30.5% and 23.0%, respectively, in BPH patients without TDS. However, the differences between the study and the control groups were statistically not significant. In prostates of BPH patients with TDS the immunoexpression of ERa was observed in 2.88% of the columnar epithelial cells and 0.39% of stromal cells. In BPH patients without TDS ERa-positive cells were only found in 0.04% of columnar epithelial cells and 0.62% of prostatic stromal cells. Conclusions. Considering the statistically significantly higher levels of I and IGF-1 and larger abdominal circumference of men with BPH and TT deficiency, it can be supposed that visceral obesity and carbohydrate disorders may contribute to the reduction of testosterone concentration. The results of our study indicate a relationship between TT concentration in the plasma of patients with BPH and the percentage of AR-positive cells in the prostate.

The Immunoexpression of FSH-R in the Ductuli Efferentes and the Epididymis of Men and Rat: Effect of FSH on the Morphology and Steroidogenic Activity of Rat Epididymal Epithelial Cells In Vitro

The Sertoli cells were regarded as the only target for FSH in male reproductive system. The expression of FSH receptor (FSH-R) was detected also in epithelial cells of the caput epididymis of rat and monkey. We showed in the immunohistochemistry study the expression of FSH-R in rat and human ductuli efferentes and the caput, corpus, and cauda epididymis, moreover, by Western blot analysis in the caput and cauda epididymis of rat. Additionally, we presented that the morphology of rat epididymal epithelial cells in vitro was affected by FSH, and FSH stimulation resulted in the increase of 17β-estradiol synthesis by rat caput epididymal cells in dose-depended manner. In conclusion, the identification of FSH receptors in human and rat epididymides supports our results that the epididymis is a target organ not only for LH but additionally for FSH. On the basis of the results we showed for the first time that morphology of epididymal epithelial cells and epididymal steroidogenesis can be regulated by FSH

Wyniki leczenia operacyjnego zwężenia lewego ujścia tętniczego u chorych w podeszłym wieku

Wstęp: W ciągu ostatnich lat obserwuje się wzrost populacji ludzi w podeszłym wieku. Postęp i rozwój kardiochirurgii spowodował, że operacyjne leczenie schorzeń serca przeprowadza się u pacjentów w 7. i 8. dekadzie życia. Cel pracy: Ocena wyników wczesnych i odległych leczenia operacyjnego zwężenia zastawki aortalnej u osób po 74 rż. badanych w Klinice Wad Nabytych Serca w latach 1993&#8211;2001. Materiał i metody: Badaniem objęto 43 pacjentów (wiek 74&#8211;83 lat) z gradientem przezzastawkowym 60&#8211;150 mm Hg (średnio 104 mm Hg). Rozpoznanie wady serca, ocenę stopnia zaburzeń hemodynamicznych i kwalifikację do leczenia operacyjnego ustalono na podstawie obrazu klinicznego i badań dodatkowych.W obserwacji wczesnej (30 dni) i odległej (średnio 32 miesiące) oceniano wydolność czynnościową według klasyfikacji NYHA oraz parametry echokardiograficzne lewej komory. Powyższe parametry porównano w grupie chorych z zastawką mechaniczną vs. biologiczną. Wyniki: U 17 pacjentów wszczepiono zastawkę biologiczną, a u 27 - mechaniczną. Nie zanotowano zgonów śródoperacyjnych. We wczesnym okresie pooperacyjnym zmarł 1 chory. Powikłania pooperacyjne dotyczyły ogółem 76% pacjentów. W obserwacji wczesnej stwierdzono istotną poprawę wydolności czynnościowej. Parametry echokardiograficzne lewej komory i jej kurczliwość nie zmieniły się istotnie po operacji, jedynie objętość końcoworozkurczowa wykazywała znamienną poprawę. W obserwacji odległej wystąpiły 3 zgony, nie odnotowano powikłań zakrzepowo-zatorowych ani krowotocznych. Stwierdzano dalszą poprawę stanu klinicznego, badania echokardiograficznie wykazywały istotną poprawę funkcji lewej komory. Wyniki w grupach z zastawką mechaniczną i biologiczną nie różniły się istotnie. Wnioski: Wiek nie stanowi przeciwwskazania do wykonania operacji wymiany zastawki aortalnej. W okresie pooperacyjnym występujące powikłania są częste, ale nie zagrażają życiu pacjentów. Obserwacje odległe wskazują na poprawę wydolności fizycznej i parametrów echokardiograficznych lewej komory. Nie wykazano istotnych różnic w parametrach echokardiograficznych opisujących lewą komorę i zastawkę aortalną między grupami pacjentów z wszczepioną zastawką sztuczną vs. biologiczną