Determination of propofol by GC/MS and fast GC/MS-TOF in two cases of poisoning

Two cases of suspected acute and lethal intoxication caused by propofol were delivered by the judicial authority to the Department of Sciences for Health Promotion and Mother-Child Care in Palermo, Sicily. In the first case a female nurse was found in a hotel room, where she lived with her mother; four 10 mg/mL vials and two 20 mg/mL vials of propofol were found near the decedent along with syringes and needles. In the second case a male nurse was found in the operating room of a hospital, along with a used syringe. In both cases a preliminary systematic and toxicological analysis indicated the presence of propofol in the blood and urine. As a result, a method for the quantitative determination of propofol in biological fluids was optimized and validated using a liquid-liquid extraction protocol followed by GC/MS and fast GC/MS-TOF. In the first case, the concentration of propofol in blood was determined to be 8.1 \u3bcg/mL while the concentration of propofol in the second case was calculated at 1.2 \u3bcg/mL. Additionally, the tissue distribution of propofol was determined for both cases. Brain and liver concentrations of propofol were, respectively, 31.1 and 52.2 \u3bcg/g in Case 1 and 4.7 and 49.1 \u3bcg/g in Case 2. Data emerging from the autopsy findings, histopathological exams as well as the toxicological results aided in establishing that the deaths were due to poisoning, however, the manner of death in each were different: homicide in Case 1 and suicide in Case 2

Distal renal tubular acidosis: a systematic approach from diagnosis to treatment

Renal tubular acidosis (RTA) comprises a group of disorders in which excretion of hydrogen ions or reabsorption of filtered HCO3 is impaired, leading to chronic metabolic acidosis with normal anion gap. In the current review, the focus is placed on the most common type of RTA, Type 1 RTA or Distal RTA (dRTA), which is a rare chronic genetic disorder characterized by an inability of the distal nephron to secrete hydrogen ions in the presence of metabolic acidosis. Over the years, knowledge of the molecular mechanisms behind acid secretion has improved, thereby greatly helping the diagnosis of dRTA. The primary or inherited form of dRTA is mostly diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or young adulthood, while the acquired secondary form, as a consequence of other disorders or medications, can happen at any age, although it is more commonly seen in adults. dRTA is not as “benign” as previously assumed, and can have several, highly variable long-term consequences. The present review indeed reports and summarizes both clinical symptoms and diagnosis, long-term outcomes, genetic inheritance, epidemiology and current treatment options, with the aim of shedding more light onto this rare disorder. Being a chronic condition, dRTA also deserves attention in the transition between pediatric and adult nephrology care, and as a rare disease it has a place in the European and Italian rare nephrological diseases network

Conversazione con Vittorio Spinazzola

Conversazione con Vittorio Spinazzola \ue8 la trascrizione di un\u2019intervista condotta da Elisa Gambaro e Stefania Sini a Milano il 9 maggio 2012, della quale si pubblica anche la versione video. La redazione di \uabEnthymema\ubb ringrazia il professor Spinazzola per la sua disponibilit\ue0 e la sua generosit\ue0

Capillary electrophoretic and extraction conditions for the analysis of Catha edulis FORKS active principles

A capillary electrophoretic method, which allowed the detection and separation of the active principles of Catha edulis, i.e. cathinone, cathine and phenylpropanolamine, was developed. A suitable internal standard (nicotinamide), which permitted the quantification of the analytes reducing the variability of the migration times due to EOF changes, was identified. The analytical method was validated, assessing linearity, sensitivity and repeatability, showing optimal features for the analysis of the vegetable material. Moreover extraction conditions were investigated to achieve the exhaustion of the plant material in the fastest and most efficient way to meet the requirements of the Court

Blood cyanide determination in two cases of fatal imtoxication: comparison between headspace gas chromatography and a spectrophotometric method

Blood samples of two cases were analyzed preliminarily by a classical spectrophotometric method (VIS) and by an automated headspace gas chromatographic method with nitrogen-phosphorus detector (HS-GC \u2044 NPD). In the former, hydrogen cyanide (HCN) was quantitatively determined by measuring the absorbance of chromophores forming as a result of interaction with chloramine T. In the automated HS-GC \u2044NPD method, blood was placed in a headspace vial, internal standard (acetonitrile) and acetic acid were then added. This resulted in cyanide being liberated as HCN. The spectrophotometric (VIS) and HS-GC\u2044NPD methods were validated on postmortem blood samples fortified with potassium cyanide in the ranges 0.5\u201310 and 0.05\u20135 lg \u2044 mL, respectively. Detection limits were 0.2 lg \u2044mL for VIS and 0.05 lg \u2044mL for HS-GC\u2044NPD. This work shows that results obtained by means of the two procedures were insignificantly different and that they compared favorably. They are suitable for rapid diagnosis of cyanide in postmortem cases

Effect of laser welding on the mechanical and degradation behaviour of Fe-20Mn-0.6C bioabsorbable alloy

Abstract The present work aims at exploring the influence of laser welding on the functional behaviour of a Fe-20Mn-0.6C (wt.%) bioabsorbable alloy. At first, the selection of the most suitable process speed (40 mm/s) was done in order to obtain a full penetration joint with limited taper. Then, microstructural and mechanical analyses of welded sheets confirmed suitable performance of the joint, without porosity, thus preserving chemical composition, mechanical resistance and ductility even after welding. In particular, the base material comprised both γ austenite and e martensite, while the welded samples showed a further type of martensite, namely α'. Moreover, ultimate tensile strength (1095 MPa and 1104 MPa in base and welded material, respectively) and elongation to failure (61.3% and 60.9%, respectively) were almost not influenced by the welding process. Considering the absorbable nature of these alloys, static immersion degradation tests were carried out, and confirmed that the surface of the welded bead did not exhibit a significant variation of the material degradation rate after 14 days in modified Hanks' solution. Finally, a significant accumulation of degradation products, mainly (Fe,Mn)CO3, was observed along the joining line

Breast cancer and communication: Monocentric experience of a self-assessment questionnaire

Background: The communication of the diagnosis of breast cancer induces to the patient a strong psychological trauma. Radiologists are at the forefront of communicating, either for a biopsy or the probable diagnosis of malignancy. This is a complex task, which requires the knowledge and application of correct “communicative models”, among which the SPIKES protocol rep-resents a fundamental reference. Design and methods: 110 patients, with a history of breast cancer, filled out a questionnaire consisting of six questions: five aimed at defining communication compliance with the SPIKES protocol, the sixth, consisting of six feelings, aimed at the knowledge of the next emotional state. Results: Regarding compliance with various “strategic points” of the SPIKES protocol, questionnaires show that 70% of patients reported no omissions, while the remaining 30% reported omissions relatively to perception (56%), emotions (23%), setting (13%), knowledge (6%) and invitation (2%). The results showed the existence of a correlation between the final emotional state and the correct application of the SPIKES protocol; in fact, patients who reacted with a positive final emotional state-reported greater adherence to the strategic points of the SPIKES protocol. Conclusions: In healthcare, knowing the communicative compliance of a team in giving “bad news” is fundamental, especially in breast cancer. The SPIKES protocol is recognized by the Literature as a fundamental reference able to affect “positively” the emotional state of patients. The proposed questionnaire is a valid tool to identify the weak points of communication and related criticalities, to improve clinical practice

The Great Acceleration of fragrances and PAHs archived in an ice core from Elbrus, Caucasus

The Great Acceleration of the anthropogenic impact on the Earth system is marked by the ubiquitous distribution of anthropogenic materials throughout the global environment, including technofossils, radionuclides and the exponential increases of methane and carbon dioxide concentrations. However, personal care products as direct tracers of human domestic habits are often overlooked. Here, we present the first research combining fragrances, as novel personal care products, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) as combustion and industrial markers, across the onset of the Great Acceleration in the Elbrus, Caucasus, ice core. This archive extends from the 1930s to 2005, spanning the profound changes in the relationship between humans and the environment during the twentieth century. Concentrations of both fragrances and PAHs rose throughout the considered period, reflecting the development of the Anthropocene. However, within this rising trend, remarkable decreases of the tracers track the major socioeconomic crises that occurred in Eastern Europe during the second half of the twentieth century

Occurrence and phase distribution of benzothiazoles in untreated highway stormwater runoff and road dust

The study about how tyre-derived particles can potentially worsen the water quality and how traffic pollution markers can affect the environment is crucial for environmental management. Road emissions are known to contribute to pollution in various environments, and benzothiazoles and their derivates can be used to trace pollutant inputs related to surface runoff in the aquatic system. A total of eight benzothiazoles were determined in highway stormwater runoff and road dust collected from February to August 2022 near Venice (Casale sul Sile, Veneto Region, Italy). A new analytical method was validated, by using an UHPLC system coupled to a mass spectrometer (triple quadrupole). The target compounds were determined in both dissolved phase and suspended particulate matter of runoff, and the road dust samples were divided into seven fractions depending on particle diameters to understand the fraction partitioning. The results indicate that 2-SO3H-BTH was the most concentrated benzothiazole in all the analysed substrates, suggesting tyre debris as the main source because it is usually used in the vulcanization process. 2-SO3H-BTH reached a mean concentration of 115 +/- 59 mu g L-1, 4 +/- 3 mu g L-1, and 411 +/- 441 mu g Kg(-1) for dissolved phase, suspended particulate matter, and road dust, respectively, while 2-OH-BTH and BTH showed values about an order of magnitude lower. The size distribution of most BTHs suggests that they are distributed in the finest fraction of road dust. An exception was given by 2-SCNMeS-BTH being present only in particles with a diameter > 1 mm

Can MR Imaging Diagnose Adult-Onset Alexander Disease?

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