Gender outcome in children with disorders of sex development: A cryptic misfortune

Background: Disorders of sex development (DSD) are an important cause of management dilemma for a clinician, especially due to the difficulty in assigning a suitable sex to them. Not many studies are reported regarding their gender outcome. Objective: To find out the gender outcome of children with DSD. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based descriptive study was conducted in children with DSD from birth till 12 years of age who were attending pediatric outpatient department and ward and endocrinology clinic of a tertiary care teaching hospital of South India for 1 year. Children with DSD who were registered in endocrinology clinic over the preceding 10 years were called for review. Those came for review were also included. They were analyzed for their assigned gender at birth, etiological diagnosis, current gender role and phenotype, treatment and follow-up patterns. Reinvestigations were done in needed cases. Results: A total of 38 cases were analyzed in the study. Work up could be completed in 92.1% of children. 60.5% cases were diagnosed in infancy, and 18.42% (n=7) of cases were identified above 5 years. Among those who were not assigned any sex at birth, 50% became phenotypic male and 50% became phenotypic female. 25% of the patients, who were assigned male sexat birth, changed to female sex. 100% of 46 XX DSD are being reared as females but only 44.4% of 46 XY patient are being reared as males. Conclusion: Sex assignment in DSD, especially 46 XY DSD, is a great challenge. Sex assignment must be based on a definitive etiological diagnosis, its natural course, gender role, gender identity, external genital structure and reproductive outcome and with proper counseling of the parents. Strict follow-up is inevitable

Insights into the Recent Advances in Nanomaterial Based Electrochemical Sensors for Pesticides in Food

Food safety is one of the rising concerns challenging all over the world and the analysis and determination of food contaminants to ensure the quality of food is highly inevitable. Electroanalytical sensors are a versatile tool for the accurate monitoring of food samples from the pollutants. Pesticides are one of the major sources of food pollutants and their impacts on human health is also very dangerous. This will trigger the researchers to develop more and more sensitive devices to monitor the level of various pesticides in various food samples, especially in agricultural products. Electrochemical sensors fabricated using nanocomposites offers more sensitive electrochemical response in the detection of these pesticides than traditional unmodified electrodes. This prompted us to write a mini review on the electrochemical sensors for pesticides in food using nanomaterials as modifiers from some of the previous reports. This review will motivate the experts working in this area to develop highly efficient sensing devices for pesticides, beneficial to the society as well

Manganese(III) Porphyrin-based Potentiometric Sensors for Diclofenac Assay in Pharmaceutical Preparations

Two manganese(III) porphyrins: manganese(III) tetraphenylporphyrin chloride and manganese(III)-tetrakis(3-hydroxyphenyl)porphyrin chloride were tested as ionophores for the construction of new diclofenac–selective electrodes. The electroactive material was incorporated either in PVC or a sol–gel matrix. The effect of different plasticizers and additives (anionic and cationic) on the potentiometric response was studied. The best results were obtained for the PVC membrane plasticized with dioctylphtalate and having sodium tetraphenylborate as a lipophilic anionic additive incorporated. The sensor response was linear in the concentration range 3 × 10−6 – 1 × 10−2 M with a slope of −59.7 mV/dec diclofenac, a detection limit of 1.5 × 10−6 M and very good selectivity coefficients. It was used for the determination of diclofenac in pharmaceutical preparations, by direct potentiometry. The results were compared with those obtained by the HPLC reference method and a good agreement was found between the two methods

Synthesis and mesogenic behavior of metal-containing liquid crystalline networks

A new hydroxy functionalized liquid crystalline (LC) polyazomethine has been synthesized by the solution polycondensation of a dialdehyde with a diamine. The polymer was characterized by IR, H-1-, and C-13-NMR spectroscopy. Studies on the liquid crystalline properties reveal the nematic mesomorphic behavior. This polymer functions as a polymeric chelate and forms a three-dimensional network structure through the metal complexation. Influence of various metals and their concentration on the liquid crystalline behavior of the network has been studied. Networks up to 30 mol % of the metal show LC phase transitions; above this the transitions are suppressed and the network behaves like an LC thermoset. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc

A PVC Plasticized Sensor for Ni(II) Ion Based on a Simple Ethylenediamine Derivative

new PVC membrane ion selective electrode which is highly selective towards Ni(II) ions was constructed using a Schiff base containing a binaphthyl moiety as the ionophore. The sensor exhibited a good Nernstian response for nickel ions over the concentration range 1.0 × 10–1 – 5.0 × 10–6 M with a lower limit of detection of 1.3 × 10–6 M. It has a fast response time and can be used for a period of 4 months with a good reproducibility. The sensor is suitable for use in aqueous solutions in a wide pH range of 3.6 – 7.4 and works satisfactorily in the presence of 25% (v/v) methanol or ethanol. The sensor shows high selectivity to nickel ions over a wide variety of cations. It has been successfully used as an indicator electrode in the potentiometric titration of nickel ions against EDTA and also for the direct determination of nickel content in real samples: effluent samples, chocolates and hydrogenated oils

PVC Supported Liquid Membrane and Carbon Paste Potentiometric Sensors Incorporating a Mn(III)-Porphyrin for the Direct Determination of Undissociated Paracetamol

PVC supported liquid membrane and carbon paste potentiometric sensors incorporating an Mn(III)-porphyrin complex as a neutral host molecule were developed for the determination of paracetamol. The measurements were carried out in solution at pH 5.5. Under such conditions paracetamol exists as a neutral molecule. The mechanism of molecular recognition between the Mn(III)-porphyrin and paracetamol, leading to potentiometric signal generation, is discussed.The sensitivity and selectivity toward paracetamol of carbon paste and polymeric liquid membrane electrodes incorporating an Mn(III)-porphyrin host were compared. The applicability of these sensors to the direct determination of paracetamol was checked by performing a recovery test in human plasma.Cochin University of Science and Technology,Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of Polish Academy of Sciences & University of Leuve

PVC Supported Liquid Membrane and Carbon Paste Potentiometric Sensors Incorporating a Mn(III)-Porphyrin for the Direct Determination of Undissociated Paracetamol

PVC supported liquid membrane and carbon paste potentiometric sensors incorporating an Mn(III)-porphyrin complex as a neutral host molecule were developed for the determination of paracetamol. The measurements were carried out in solution at pH 5.5. Under such conditions paracetamol exists as a neutral molecule. The mechanism of molecular recognition between the Mn(III)-porphyrin and paracetamol, leading to potentiometric signal generation, is discussed. The sensitivity and selectivity toward paracetamol of carbon paste and polymeric liquid membrane electrodes incorporating an Mn(III)-porphyrin host were compared. The applicability of these sensors to the direct determination of paracetamol was checked by performing a recovery test in human plasma.status: publishe

Insights into the Recent Advances in Nanomaterial Based Electrochemical Sensors for Pesticides in Food

Food safety is one of the rising concerns challenging all over the world and the analysis and determination of food contaminants to ensure the quality of food is highly inevitable. Electroanalytical sensors are a versatile tool for the accurate monitoring of food samples from the pollutants. Pesticides are one of the major sources of food pollutants and their impacts on human health is also very dangerous. This will trigger the researchers to develop more and more sensitive devices to monitor the level of various pesticides in various food samples, especially in agricultural products. Electrochemical sensors fabricated using nanocomposites offers more sensitive electrochemical response in the detection of these pesticides than traditional unmodified electrodes. This prompted us to write a mini review on the electrochemical sensors for pesticides in food using nanomaterials as modifiers from some of the previous reports. This review will motivate the experts working in this area to develop highly efficient sensing devices for pesticides, beneficial to the society as well