Sono-bromination of aromatic compounds based on the ultrasonic advanced oxidation processes.

A novel, mild "sono-halogenation" of various aromatic compounds with potassium halide was investigated under ultrasound in a biphasic carbon tetrachloride/water medium. The feasibility study was first undertaken with the potassium bromide and then extended to chloride and iodide analogues. This methodology could be considered as a new expansion of the ultrasonic advanced oxidation processes (UAOPs) into a synthetic aspect as the developed methodology is linked to the sonolytic disappearance of carbon tetrachloride. Advantages of the present method are not only that the manipulation of the bromination is simple and green, but also that the halogenating agents used are readily available, inexpensive, and easy-handling.

Oral sumatriptan for migraine in children and adolescents: a randomized, multicenter, placebo-controlled, parallel group study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this article is to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of two doses of oral sumatriptan vs placebo in the acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents. BACKGROUND: Currently, there is no approved prescription medication in Japan for the treatment of migraine in children and adolescents. METHODS: This was a multicenter, outpatient, single-attack, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. Eligible patients were children and adolescents aged 10 to 17 years diagnosed with migraine with or without aura (ICHD-II criteria 1.1 or 1.2) from 17 centers. They were randomized to receive sumatriptan 25 mg, 50 mg or placebo (1:1:2). The primary efficacy endpoint was headache relief by two grades on a five-grade scale at two hours post-dose. RESULTS: A total of 178 patients from 17 centers in Japan were enrolled and randomized to an investigational product in double-blind fashion. Of these, 144 patients self-treated a single migraine attack, and all provided a post-dose efficacy assessment and completed the study. The percentage of patients in the full analysis set (FAS) population who report pain relief at two hours post-treatment for the primary endpoint was higher in the placebo group than in the pooled sumatriptan group (38.6% vs 31.1%, 95% CI: -23.02 to 8.04, P = 0.345). The percentage of patients in the FAS population who reported pain relief at four hours post-dose was higher in the pooled sumatriptan group (63.5%) than in the placebo group (51.4%) but failed to achieve statistical significance ( P = 0.142). At four hours post-dose, percentages of patients who were pain free or had complete relief of photophobia or phonophobia were numerically higher in the sumatriptan pooled group compared to placebo. Both doses of oral sumatriptan were well tolerated. No adverse events (AEs) were serious or led to study withdrawal. The most common AEs were somnolence in 6% (two patients) in the sumatriptan 25 mg treatment group and chest discomfort in 7% (three patients) in the sumatriptan 50 mg treatment group. CONCLUSIONS: There was no statistically significant improvement between the sumatriptan pooled group and the placebo group for pain relief at two hours. Oral sumatriptan was well tolerated.

Sonochemical preparation of carbon spheres.

Spherical morphology of carbon with 150-400 nm size is produced by sonication (480 kHz, 2.5 W) of toluene with water under ambient conditions. Medium range of frequency and weak power of ultrasound is found to be the appropriate conditions for preparing the carbon spheres. Morphological and structural analysis of the product is carried out with TEM, SEM, elemental analysis, TGA, and FT-IR spectroscopy.

Japanese clinical guidelines for chronic pain in children and adolescents.

Chronic pain is a common problem in pediatric practice. The prevalence of chronic pain in children is >30%. Because pain indicates emotional expression as well as the physiological reaction toward infection, injury, and inflammation, both physiological and psychological assessments are essential to determine primary interventions for chronic pain. The Japanese Society of Psychosomatic Pediatrics Task Force of clinical practice guidelines for chronic pain in children and adolescents compiled clinical evidence and opinions of specialists associated with the primary care of pediatric chronic pain in the Japanese 'clinical guidelines for chronic pain in children and adolescents' in 2009, which are presented herein. The guidelines consist of three domains: general introduction to chronic pain; chronic abdominal pain; and chronic headache. Each section contains information on the physiological mechanism, psychological aspects, assessment methods, and primary interventions for pediatric chronic pain. These guidelines are expected to help disseminate knowledge on primary interventions for chronic pain in children and adolescents.

[Validity of graphic headache diary for children having primary headaches].

We investigated whether the graphic headache diary is useful for diagnosing headache types in children, especially suffering from chronic daily headaches. Our study involved 109 children who completed the diaries for more than 3 weeks. The headache diary was a modified version of that used in the study by Sakai et al. Of 109, 84 had migraine, 15 had tension-type headache and 10 had both tension-type headache and migraine from the questionnaire and the first interview. The diary disclosed that 20 children, initially diagnosed as having migraine, had co-existing chronic tension-type headache with a variety of psychosocial problems. The graphic headache diary seems to be helpful for headache diagnosis and awareness of stress in children who suffered from strong and persistent headaches. Our study suggested that the graphic headache diary is useful not only for diagnosing headache types in children but also for finding out problems in school and/or family.

Secondary sonochemical effect on Mo-catalyzed bromination of aromatic compounds.

The Molybdate-catalyzed bromination of various aromatic compounds in the presence of KBr/H(2)O(2) in an aqueous/chloroform biphasic system occurred under ultrasonic irradiation, whereas the reaction did not take place under conventional mechanical stirring (1400 rpm). The sonochemical activation was found to be of secondary effect, attributed to lowering pH by sonolysis of CHCl(3)-H(2)O solvents mixture.

New development of 'sono-functional' molecule: binding to DNA by sonication.

'Sono-functional' molecule 1 was prepared and its binding properties to DNA under ultrasonic irradiation were studied by UV spectra. As a result, it was shown that the binding of 1 to DNA was enhanced by ultrasound. Being compared with its precursor 2, it is clear that terminal thiol groups of 1 play an important role in specific binding to DNA.

Pediatric chronic daily headache associated with school phobia.

BACKGROUND: Children and adolescents with school phobia sometimes complain of severe and persistent headaches that are diagnosed as chronic daily headache (CDH). METHODS: We investigated 24 children with CDH and school phobia, and 26 children with CDH but without school phobia. RESULTS: Of 24 children with CDH and school phobia, 4% had chronic migraine (CM), 46% had chronic tension-type headache (CTTH) and 50% had both CTTH and migraine. However, of 26 children with CDH but without school phobia, 61% had CM, 24% had CTTH, 11% had CTTH and migraine, and 4% had new daily-persistent headache. There was a significantly higher rate of CTTH and both CTTH and migraine in children with CDH and school phobia than that in children with CDH but without school phobia (P < 0.0001). All of the 24 children with CDH and school phobia were found to have psychiatric disorders. Of 24 children, 71% were found to have adjustment disorders, 21% were found to have anxiety disorders, and 8% were found to have conversion disorder. Of 26 children with CDH but without school phobia, only 20% were found to have psychiatric disorders. There was a significantly higher rate of psychiatric disorders in children with CDH and school phobia than in children with CDH but without school phobia (P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Our study indicated that children with CDH and school phobia had problems in school and/or family and psychiatric disorders. They should be diagnosed and treated attentively not only for headaches but also for their psychosocial problems and psychiatric disorders.

The efficacy of sodium valproate and a MRA finding in confusional migraine.

Confusional migraine (CM) is recognized as a kind of pediatric migraine equivalent. We report that a 10-year-old girl had repeated attacks of confusional state and of migraine with aura. She suffered from total of six CM attacks and migraine attacks with aura almost once a month. Therefore, sodium valproate (VPA) was initiated to prevent these attacks. They have been controlled after increasing her dosage to 600mg/day. The intracranial magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) during the last CM attack indicated narrowing of left middle and posterior cerebral arteries. However, MRA during the attack free period at 41-day follow-up showed normal vessels. Electroencephalograms showed severe slowing without seizure discharges during the CM attacks. This case indicates that VPA is an effective treatment for the prophylaxis of CM and migraine with aura. MRA is considered helpful for the diagnosis of this kind of migraine in children because of noninvasive neuroimaging.

[Secondary headache in children].

Headache is one of the common symptoms of fever and headache without fever is also not rare in general pediatric clinics. The common causes of these headaches involve extracranial infection due to viral illness, migraine and trauma. Headache with vomiting, fever and meningeal signs suggests meningitis. Taking blood pressure is necessary, even though headache caused by hypertension is rare in children. Neuroimaging should be performed with abnormal neurological findings, atypical headache pattern, or significant change of preexisting headache. Serious underlying diseases, such as brain tumor or intracranial hemorrhage, are uncommon, however they should be diagnosed immediately using neuroimaging because of their urgency.

The effect of heterogeneous solvent systems on sonochemical reactions: accelerated degradation of alkyl thiols in emulsion.

Sonochemical reactions of alkyl and aryl thiols in water-organic mixed solvent systems were kinetically investigated. The reaction in the liquid-liquid interface apparently depends on the polarities, surface activities, vapor pressures and hydrophobicities of organic solvents and thiols. Interestingly, the rate jump in sonochemical disappearance of alkyl thiols was observed under emulsified conditions.

Ultrasonic acceleration of iodination of unactivated aliphatic hydrocarbons.

Iodination of unactivated aliphatic hydrocarbons with iodoform (CHI3) and solid NaOH were greatly accelerated under ultrasonic irradiation. The mechanism of the sonochemical acceleration was studied.

The role of solvent in sonochemical reactions: the case of acetic acid.

Among the sonolysis products of acetic acid, oxidizing intermediates can play a direct role in reactions run in this solvent, illustrating the fact that organic sonochemistry can originate in organic solvents as aqueous sonochemistry can in water.