Recent advances in analysis of bisphenols and their derivatives in biological matrices.

Biomonitoring is a very useful tool to evaluate human exposure to endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), like bisphenols (BPs), which are widely used in the manufacture of plastics. The development of reliable analytical methods is key in the field of public health surveillance to obtain biomonitoring data to determine what BPs are reaching people's bodies. This review discusses recent methods for the quantitative measurement of bisphenols and their derivatives in biological samples like urine, blood, breast milk, saliva, and hair, among others. We also discuss the different procedures commonly used for sample treatment, which includes extraction and clean-up, and instrumental techniques currently used to determine these compounds. Sample preparation techniques continue to play an important role in the analysis of complex matrices, for liquid matrices the most commonly employed is solid-phase extraction, although microextraction techniques are gaining importance in this field, and for solid samples ultrasound-assisted extraction. The main instrumental techniques used are liquid and gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Finally, we present data on the main parameters obtained in the validation of the revised methods. This review focuses on various methods developed and applied for trace analysis of bisphenols, their conjugates, halogenated derivatives, and diglycidyl ethers in biological samples to enable the required selectivity and sensitivity. For this purpose, a review is carried out of the most recent relevant publications from 2016 up to present.

Effect of sodium-dependent glucose transporter inhibitors on glycated hemoglobin A1c after 24 weeks in patients with diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate dapagliflozin, canagliflozin, empagliflozin, ertugliflozin, and sotagliflozin according to their effect on the glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. METHODS: The Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Clinical Trials databases were electronically searched to collect randomized controlled trials of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus through June 2020. Two researchers independently screened and evaluated the obtained studies and extracted the outcome indexes. RevMan 5.3 software was used to perform the meta-analysis and to create plots. RESULTS: Finally, 27 studies were selected and included in this study. The meta-analysis results showed that sodium-dependent glucose transporter (SGLT) inhibitors significantly reduced the HbA1c level in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. However, these results were highly heterogeneous, so we conducted a subgroup analysis. The results of the subgroup analysis suggested that by dividing populations into different subgroups, the heterogeneity of each group could be reduced. CONCLUSIONS: SGLT inhibitors had a good effect on the HbA1c level in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, but there might be differences in the efficacy of SGLT inhibitors in different populations. It is hoped that more studies will be conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SGLT inhibitors in different populations. REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020185025.

Experimental design of switchable solvent-based liquid phase microextraction for the accurate determination of etrimfos from water and food samples at trace levels by GC-MS.

Presented in this study is a simple but efficient switchable polarity solvent microextraction strategy for etrimfos preconcentration from water and food samples for quantification by gas chromatography mass spectrometry. Repeatability of the extraction process and instrumental measurements were enhanced by using deuterated bisphenol A as internal standard. Significant parameters of the extraction method were fitted into an experimental design model to study the effects of parameters on extraction output, as well as mutual effects of combined parameters. The design model was formed with 51 experimented data obtained from the combination of sodium hydroxide volume, switchable solvent volume, and vortex period at three levels. The method was validated by applying optimum conditions attained from the model predictor. The detection limit was found to be 1.3 ng/mL and it corresponded to an enhancement factor of about 54 folds when compared to direct GC-MS measurement. Etrimfos was not detected in the water and food samples tested but the results (92-107%) obtained from spiked recovery experiments established that etrimfos when present in the selected matrices can be accurately and precisely quantified.

An observational study of patient satisfaction with fesoterodine in the treatment of overactive bladder: effects of additional educational material.

AIM: To compare the effects of additional educational material on treatment satisfaction of overactive bladder (OAB) patients treated with a muscarinic receptor antagonist. METHODS: In an observational study of OAB patients being treated by their physician with fesoterodine for 4 months (FAKTEN study), sites were randomised to providing standard treatment or additional educational material including the SAGA tool. Patient satisfaction was assessed by three validated patient-reported outcomes including the Treatment Satisfaction Question. Because of premature discontinuation of the study, descriptive statistical analysis was performed. RESULTS: A total of 431 and 342 patients received standard treatment or additional educational material, respectively. At study end, 76.1% [95% CI = 71.3, 80.4] of patients with standard care and 79.6% [95% CI = 74.4, 84.1] with additional SAGA tool were satisfied with treatment (primary end-point). Comparable outcomes with and without the additional educational material were also found in various patient subgroups, at the 1-month time point, and for the other patient-reported outcomes. A notable exception was the subgroup of treatment-naïve patients in which the percentage of satisfied patients was 77.2% vs. 89.5% with standard treatment and additional SAGA tool, respectively (post hoc analysis). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In an observational study, most overactive bladder patients were satisfied with fesoterodine treatment. Because of the small sample size, the study does not support or refute the hypothesis that adding the SAGA tool will improve patient satisfaction with treatment. The potential effect of additional educational material in treatment-naïve patients warrants further dedicated studies.

Determination of modafinil in plasma and urine by reversed phase high-performance liquid-chromatography.

Modafinil (Provigil) is a new wake-promoting drug that is being used for the management of excessive sleepiness in patients with narcolepsy. It has pharmacological properties similar to that of amphetamine, but without some of the side effects associated with amphetamine-like stimulants. Since modafinil has the potential to be abused, accurate drug-screening methods are needed for its analysis. In this study, we developed a high-performance liquid-chromatographic procedure (HPLC) for the quantitative analysis of modafinil in plasma and urine. (Phenylthio)acetic acid was used as an internal standard for the analysis of both plasma and urine. Modafinil was extracted from urine and plasma with ethyl acetate and ethyl acetate-acetic acid (100:1, v/v), respectively, and analyzed on a C18 reverse phase column with methanol-water-acetic acid (500:500:1, v/v) as the mobile phase. Recoveries from urine and plasma were 80.0 and 98.9%, respectively and the limit of quantitation was 0.1 microg/mL at 233 nm. Forty-eight 2-h post-dose urine samples from sham controls and from individuals taking 200 or 400 mg of modafinil were analyzed without knowledge of drug administration. All 16-placebo urine samples and all 32 2-h post-dose urine samples were correctly classified. The analytical procedure is accurate and reproducible and can be used for therapeutic drug monitoring, pharmacokinetic studies, and drug abuse screening.

Once versus twice daily dosing of terfenadine in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis: US and European studies.

Terfenadine was compared for efficacy in treatment regimens of 120 mg once daily (qd) and 60 mg twice daily (bid) in patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis in double blind, randomized, parallel 1-week studies, three in Europe (one multicenter study, three sites; n = 191) and one in the US (single center; n = 201). Patients had moderate or severe symptoms for 2 or more years and positive skin tests to relevant pollen antigens. On entry and final visit individual symptoms were rated by physicians on a visual analog scale in Europe and a numerical scale in the US. Most patients filled out daily symptom diaries during the studies. Individual symptom scores and total symptom scores, (calculated by adding individual symptom scores together) as assessed by physicians and patients, were similar at baseline for both treatment regimens on entry, with improvement during the week. There were more patients with complete and marked relief in Europe than in the US. (Total symptom scores as assessed by physicians, for instance, improved from baseline ratings of 407 for the 60 bid regimen and 431 for the 120 qd regimen in Europe to 102 and 95 at final visit, and in the US from 8.8 for 60 bid and 8.5 for the 120 qd to 4.5 and 4.1). There was no statistical difference between the two treatment regimens in Europe or the US. Terfenadine, 120 mg once daily, is as effective as the currently approved dosage of 60 mg twice daily in the treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis, and terfenadine, 120 mg once daily, has the added convenience of allowing the patient once a day dosing.

Marginal adaptation of composite resins.

The historical development and important properties of composite resins are briefly reviewed. Experimental work has been undertaken to examine the marginal adaptation of three commerically available composite resins in 100 Class II and Class V restorations; dye penetration tests were used and measurement of the gap at the tooth/restoration interface as recorded in photographs obtained by scanning electron microscopy of replicas. In Class V restorations showing marginal leakage by dye penetration the gap at the tooth/restoration interface was in all cases greater cervically than occlusally. The results underline the uncertainly of obtaining a good marginal seal with composite resins both peripherally and along internal line angles.