Critical assessment of the elemental composition of Corning archeological reference glasses by LA-ICP-MS

Corning archeological reference glasses A, B, C, and D have been made to simulate different historic technologies of glass production and are used as standards in historic glass investigations. In this work, nanoseconds (193, 266 nm) and femtosecond (800 nm) laser ablation were used to study the elemental composition of Corning glasses using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The determined concentrations of 26 oxides (Li2O, B2O3, Na2O, MgO, Al2O3, SiO2, P2O5, K2O, CaO, TiO2, V2O5, Cr2O3, MnO, Fe2O3, CoO, NiO, CuO, ZnO, Rb2O, SrO, ZrO2, SnO2, Sb2O5, BaO, PbO, Bi2O3) are compared with values reported in the literature. Results show variable discrepancies between the data, with the largest differences found for Cr2O3 in Corning A; Li2O, B2O3, and Cr2O3 in Corning B; and MnO, Sb2O5, Cr2O3, and Bi2O3 in Corning C. The best agreement between the measured and literature values was found for Corning D. However, even for this reference, glass re-evaluation of the data was necessary and new values for PbO, BaO, and Bi2O3 are proposed

Personalized therapy for mycophenolate: consensus report by the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology

When mycophenolic acid (MPA) was originally marketed for immunosuppressive therapy, fixed doses were recommended by the manufacturer. Awareness of the potential for a more personalized dosing has led to development of methods to estimate MPA area under the curve based on the measurement of drug concentrations in only a few samples. This approach is feasible in the clinical routine and has proven successful in terms of correlation with outcome. However, the search for superior correlates has continued, and numerous studies in search of biomarkers that could better predict the perfect dosage for the individual patient have been published. As it was considered timely for an updated and comprehensive presentation of consensus on the status for personalized treatment with MPA, this report was prepared following an initiative from members of the International Association of Therapeutic Drug Monitoring and Clinical Toxicology (IATDMCT). Topics included are the criteria for analytics, methods to estimate exposure including pharmacometrics, the potential influence of pharmacogenetics, development of biomarkers, and the practical aspects of implementation of target concentration intervention. For selected topics with sufficient evidence, such as the application of limited sampling strategies for MPA area under the curve, graded recommendations on target ranges are presented. To provide a comprehensive review, this report also includes updates on the status of potential biomarkers including those which may be promising but with a low level of evidence. In view of the fact that there are very few new immunosuppressive drugs under development for the transplant field, it is likely that MPA will continue to be prescribed on a large scale in the upcoming years. Discontinuation of therapy due to adverse effects is relatively common, increasing the risk for late rejections, which may contribute to graft loss. Therefore, the continued search for innovative methods to better personalize MPA dosage is warranted.Personalised Therapeutic

The thrombotic potential of oral pathogens

In recent times the concept of infectious agents playing a role in cardiovascular disease has attracted much attention. Chronic oral disease such as periodontitis, provides a plausible route for entry of bacteria to the circulation. Upon entry to the circulation, the oral bacteria interact with platelets. It has been proposed that their ability to induce platelet aggregation and support platelet adhesion is a critical step in the pathogenesis of the infection process. Many published studies have demonstrated multiple mechanisms through which oral bacteria are able to bind to and activate platelets. This paper will review the various mechanisms oral bacteria use to interact with platelets

Wide-band optical fibre system for investigation of MEMS and NEMS deflection

In this work the construction of experimental setup for MEMS/NEMS deflection measurements is presented. The system is based on intensity fibre optic detector for linear displacement sensing. Furthermore the electronic devices: current source for driving the light source and photodetector with wide-band preamplifier are presented

Inflammatory Markers in Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Several studies have reported the association between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and low-grade chronic inflammation to be of uncertain cause: obesity, insulin resistance, or PCOS itself. The aim of the study was to investigate the WBC (white blood cell) count and CRP (C-reactive protein) concentration in women with PCOS and to determine the factors that affect their concentration. The study included 200 women aged 18-40 with PCOS and 105 healthy women as the control group, recruited in the Department of Gynaecological Endocrinology of Medical University in Warsaw from 2016 to 2018. Each patient underwent clinical, biochemical, and ultrasonographic assessments. WBC and CRP were significantly higher in the PCOS group (Z=−2,353, p=0,019 and Z=−2,453, p=0,014). WBC positively correlated with serum insulin at 0, 60, and 120 min during the oral glucose tolerance test (INS0: r=0,221, p=0,001; INS1: r=0,194, p=0,003; INS2: r=0,022, p=0,001), testosterone (r=0,130, p=0,046), androstenedione (r=0,212, p=0,001), and DHEAS (r=0,178, p=0,006) and negatively correlated with progesterone (r=−0,204, p=0,002), estradiol (r=−0,140, p=0,032), and SHBG (r=−0,308, p<0,001). CRP positively correlated with insulin concentration in 0, 60, and 120 min during the oral glucose tolerance test (INS0: r=0,343, p<0,001; INS1: r=0,276, p=0,001; INS2: r=0,320, p<001) and negatively correlated with progesterone (r=−0,194, p=0,030) and SHBG (-0,244, p=0,005). We also estimated positive correlation between BMI and serum CRP and WBC concentration. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that CRP values are positively associated with BMI (beta=0,374, p<0,001) and insulin level (INS1) (beta=0,282, p=0,004); and WBC results are negatively associated with SHGB (beta=−0,284, p<0,001) but positively associated with testosterone (beta=0,163, p=0,024) and BMI (beta=0,157, p=0,047). PCOS is associated with increased WBC and CRP concentrations. The main predicting factors of increased CRP are BMI and insulin resistance, but there is also a relationship between WBC count in PCOS and androgen concentration itself so that inflammation may be mediated not only through adiposity but also through increased androgen concentration