Determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in dietary sources using a spectrophotometric method

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a class of toxic compounds found in the composition of more than 6000 plants. People can be exposed to PAs by consuming phytotherapeutic products, food from crops contaminated with seeds of some species with high content of PAs, and/ or contaminated animal products like bee products. For this reason we developed and validated a method for quantitative determination of PAs, from the most frequently contaminated food sources, honey and flour. Colorimetric Ehrlich reagent method was used with standard addition (1mg/kg senecionine). The extraction solvent was methanol 50% acidified with citric acid to pH 2-3, as this solvent can be used for alkaloids and N-oxides. We found that, in extracting the alkaloid only once from the dietary sources, the percent of recovery is low (52.5% for honey, and 45.75% for flour). Using successive extractions, three times with the same solvent, the senecionine retrieval percentage increased to 86.0% for honey and 76.0% for flour. The method was validated using the following parameters: selectivity, linearity (0,25- 20 mg/ mL senecionine), accuracy (average recovery 93.5 - 107.93%) and precision (RSD 3,26-4.55%.). The calculated limit of quantification (0.174 mg/ mL) makes this method applicable for determining Pas occurring at toxic levels for consumers

Determination of pyrrolizidine alkaloids in dietary sources using a spectrophotometric method

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are a class of toxic compounds found in the composition of more than 6000 plants. People can be exposed to PAs by consuming phytotherapeutic products, food from crops contaminated with seeds of some species with high content of PAs, and/ or contaminated animal products like bee products. For this reason we developed and validated a method for quantitative determination of PAs, from the most frequently contaminated food sources, honey and flour. Colorimetric Ehrlich reagent method was used with standard addition (1mg/kg senecionine). The extraction solvent was methanol 50% acidified with citric acid to pH 2-3, as this solvent can be used for alkaloids and N-oxides. We found that, in extracting the alkaloid only once from the dietary sources, the percent of recovery is low (52.5% for honey, and 45.75% for flour). Using successive extractions, three times with the same solvent, the senecionine retrieval percentage increased to 86.0% for honey and 76.0% for flour. The method was validated using the following parameters: selectivity, linearity (0,25- 20 mg/ mL senecionine), accuracy (average recovery 93.5 - 107.93%) and precision (RSD 3,26-4.55%.). The calculated limit of quantification (0.174 mg/ mL) makes this method applicable for determining Pas occurring at toxic levels for consumers

An unusual cause for cerebellar syndrome – case report

A male from rural area, S.M., aged 77 years, was admitted in our department for discontinuous headache. His medical history was irrelevant. He has been experiencing intermittent right parietal-occipital headaches during the last 3 months. Neurologic exam revealed a slight right limb ataxia. Initial laboratory findings revealed a white blood cell count of 6500/mm3 with 75% polymorphonuclear leukocytes, 15% lymphocytes and 8% monocytes. His serum glucose was 90 mg/dL. Non Gadolinium CT scan shows rounded, inhomogenous spontaneous hyperdense area (40-45 UH) between 5-12 mm diameter, localized frontal, temporal, occipital and cerebellar bilaterally. The question was whether the lesions were metastasis or parasitic infection

Visual Sequencing Search Strategy in Parkinson's Disease

Patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) have prominent visual and oculomotor dysfunctions. In early stages, disturbances in visual acuity, pupil reactivity, saccadic and pursuit eye movements, motion perception, peripheral visual fields and visual processing speeds are reported. It has been demonstrated that patients with Parkinson’s disease have greater difficulty discriminating details of peripheral images and perceive these images less strongly than healthy volunteers

Plasma-activated water: a new and effective alternative for duodenoscope reprocessing

Gheorghe G Bălan,1 Irina Roşca,2 Elena-Laura Ursu,2 Florica Doroftei,2 Andra-Cristina Bostănaru,3 Eugen Hnatiuc,4 Valentin Năstasă,3 Vasile Şandru,5 Gabriela Ştefănescu,1 Anca Trifan,1 Mihai Mareş3 1Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Iaşi, Romania; 2“Petru Poni” Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Iaşi, Romania; 3Ion Ionescu de la Brad University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Iasi, Iaşi, Romania; 4“Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University, Iaşi, Romania; 5Department of Gastroenterology Research, Clinical Emergency Hospital of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania Introduction: Duodenoscopes have been widely used for both diagnostic and therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography procedures. Numerous outbreaks of duodenoscope-associated infections involving multidrug-resistant bacteria have recently been reported. Plasma activated water (PAW) has been widely considered an effective agent for surface decontamination and is increasingly used for disinfection of medical equipment. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the duodenoscopes currently on market are suited for the repeated use of PAW and to test the efficacy of PAW for their disinfection. Materials and methods: In order to evaluate the disinfection efficacy and the required time of contact, the duodenoscope samples were contaminated by immersing them in fasted-state simulated intestinal fluid containing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, prior to PAW exposure. In order to test the duodenoscope polymer compatibility with PAW, a challenge test was conducted by immersing the samples in PAW for 30 minutes daily for 45 consecutive days. Results: Significant reductions in bacterial populations were achieved after 30 minutes of PAW treatment, indicating a high-level disinfection. Atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to demonstrate that repeated PAW treatment of duodenoscope coating polymer samples did not result in significant differences in morphological surface between the treated and untreated samples. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy analysis also showed no significant differences between the elemental composition of the duodenoscope coating polymer samples before and after repeated PAW treatment. Conclusion: Considering these preliminary results, PAW could be considered as a new alternative for duodenoscope reprocessing. Keywords: PAW, antibacterial activity, duodenoscope, disinfectio

Romanian national guideline on translating fecal microbiota transplantation applications related to Clostridioides difficile infection into the local clinical practice

Fecal microbiota transplantation involves the infusion of intestinal microorganisms via the transfer of a stool from a healthy individual into a diseased individual, with the intent of restoring normal intestinal flora. Fecal transplant is proposed for the treatment of refractory Clostridioides difficile infection. At present, recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection is the only indication supported by solid scientific evidence. Regulations by healthcare authorities vary among different countries. Considering that Romania does not have an available national guideline to offer standardization, this paper aimed to create a national fecal microbiota transplantation guideline concerning indications, techniques and donor screening, developed by international and local scientific working groups

Lower Cretaceous Provenance and Sedimentary Deposition in the Eastern Carpathians: Inferences for the Evolution of the Subducted Oceanic Domain and its European Passive Continental Margin

Reconstructing orogenic systems made up dominantly by sediments accreted in trenches is challenging because of the incomplete lithological record of the subducted oceanic domain and its attached passive continental margin thrusted by collisional processes. In this respect, the remarkable similar to 600 km long continuity of sediments exposed in the Eastern Carpathian thin-skinned thrust and fold belt and the availability of quantitative reconstructions for adjacent continental units provide excellent conditions for a paleogeographical study by provenance and sedimentological techniques constraining sediment routing and depositional systems. These sediments were deposited in the Ceahlau-Severin branch of the Alpine Tethys Ocean and over its European passive continental margin. We report sedimentological, paleomagnetic, petrographic, and detrital zircon U-Pb data of Lower Cretaceous sediments from several thin-skinned tectonic units presumably deposited in the Moldavides domain of the Eastern Carpathians. Sedimentological observations in the innermost studied unit demonstrate that deposition took place in a deepwater basin floor sheets to sandy turbidite system. Detrital zircon age data demonstrate sourcing from internal Carpathian basement units. The sediment routing changes in more external units, where black shales basin floor sheets to sandy mud turbidites were sourced from an external, European continental area. Although some degree of mixing between sources located on both margins of the ocean occurred, constraining a relatively narrow width of the deep oceanic basin, these results demonstrate that the internal-most studied unit was deposited near an Early Cretaceous accretionary wedge, located on the opposite internal side relative to the passive continental margin domain of other Moldavides units.6 month embargo; first published: 20 April 2020This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]