Domain formation in DODAB–cholesterol mixed systems monitored via nile red anisotropy

The effect of the cholesterol (Ch) on liposomes composed of the cationic lipid dioctadecyldimethylammonium bromide (DODAB) was assessed by studying both the steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence anisotropy of the dye Nile Red. The information obtained combined with analysis of the steady-state emission and luorescence lifetime of Nile Red (NR) for different cholesterol concentrations (5–50%) elucidated the presence of “condensed complexes” and cholesterol-rich domains in these mixed systems. The steady-state fluorescence spectra were decomposed into the sum of two lognormal emissions, emanating from two different states, and the effect of temperature on the anisotropy decay of Nile Red for different cholesterol concentrations was observed. At room temperature, the time-resolved anisotropy decays are indicative of NR being relatively immobile (manifest by a high r∞ value). At higher temperature, rotational times ca. 1 ns were obtained throughout and a trend in increasing hindrance was seen with increase of Ch content

Serum AMH concentration as a marker evaluating gonadal function in boys operated on for unilateral cryptorchidism between 1st and 4th year of life

The aim of this study was to measure the serum AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) concentrations in a group of boys with or without cryptorchidism, evaluation of karyotypes, testicular position, morphology, and major length of the undescended testes. Fifty boys who were 1–4 years old (median = 2.4 years) with unilateral cryptorchidism were evaluated. All of them underwent orchidopexy in 2010. Prior to the procedure, all of the subjects had undergone karyotyping to exclude chromosomal abnormalities. Fifty healthy boys within the same age range (median = 2.1 years) admitted for planned inguinal hernia repair in 2010, served as controls. Blood samples were collected, while obtaining blood for standard laboratory tests routinely performed before the surgeries. Medians of AMH in boys with cryptorchidism were lower than in boys with inguinal hernia and differed significantly between two groups. Undescended testes were generally found in superficial inguinal pouch (n = 46), in two cases were noted to be in the external ring of the inguinal canal, and in another two instances, in the abdominal cavity. The major lengths of the undescended testes were smaller in comparison to the testes positioned normally (mean of 1 cm vs. a mean of 1.5 cm, respectively). In nine of the cases, the testes had turgor deficit, a drop shape, with epididymides that were small, dysplastic, and separated from the testis. The authors found that AMH was lower in boys with unilateral cryptorchidism (also found to have smaller testis) when compared with the control group

Multicommutation flow analysis with chemiluminescence detection: application to the chromium(III) determination

The study deals with the application of multicommutation flow analysis for determination of Cr(III) concentration in environmental samples at a trace level. The detection method was based on the luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence reaction in basic aqueous solution using Cr(III) ions as a catalyst. The experimental part of investigation focused on the optimization of equipment conditions, i.e. reagent flow rate, injected sample volume and the work of solenoid valves. The specificity of the method was tested with respect to selected heavy metal ions. The presented method allowed determination of Cr(III) over the range from 2.5 to 50ng*cm-3, with a low detection limit (under optimum conditions: 0.15ng*cm-3). Multicommutation is one of the best methods of analytical procedure automation. The main advantages of multicommutation method, compared with classical flow injection analysis (FIA), is the ability to achieve more repeatable analytical signal, which in turn allows to improve the method precision (relative standard deviation, RSD, was 1.8% for 10 determinations of 20ng*cm-3 Cr(III)). Moreover, it is excellent from the point of view of environmental protection because it offers very low reagent consumption: luminol 0.26; H2O2 2.16; sample 0.15 (cm3 per peak). The sampling rate was about 90 samples*h-1