Assessment of quality of commercial hand sanitizers using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and gas chromatography.

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use and manufacture of alcohol-based hand sanitizers increased exponentially. Efficacy of hand sanitizers mainly depends on active ingredients like ethanol and isopropanol (IPA). Even though methanol is extremely hazardous to people, it is still illegally used in hand sanitizers in Bangladesh. Developing a quick and simple analytical method for detecting and quantifying ethanol/IPA/methanol is crucial. Here, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was used to identify and quantify alcohol content in commercially available hand sanitizers in a quick and easy way. Comparing the FTIR and GC data, provided quite similar results. Unlike previous studies by FTIR, C-H, CH3-C-CH3 stretching, and C-H bending vibrational modes were employed to construct analytical calibration curves to detect and quantify alcohol in hand sanitizers. According to FTIR and GC findings, ethanol and IPA content were found to be 43-82% and 40-69%, and 56-64% and 61-66%, respectively, whereas ethanol was labeled at 66-80% and IPA at 65-70%. FTIR and GC revealed methanol content ranging from 37 to 98 and 19 to 81%, respectively. Also, the FTIR was significantly faster than the GC. Therefore, FTIR can be used to commercially analyze the quality of hand sanitizers.•FTIR was used to identify and quantify alcohol content in commercially available hand sanitizers in a quick and easy way.•Comparing the FTIR and GC data, provided quite similar results.•Out of ten samples, five contained ethanol, three IPA, and two methanol.

Measurement of symphysis fundal height for gestational age estimation in low-to-middle-income countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

In low- and middle-income countries (LMIC), measurement of symphysis fundal height (SFH) is often the only available method of estimating gestational age (GA) in pregnancy. This systematic review aims to summarize methods of SFH measurement and assess the accuracy of SFH for the purpose of GA estimation. We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, Web of Science, POPLINE, and WHO Global Health Libraries from January 1980 through November 2021. For SFH accuracy, we pooled the variance of the mean difference between GA confirmed by ultrasound versus SFH. Of 1,003 studies identified, 37 studies were included. Nineteen different SFH measurement techniques and 13 SFH-to-GA conversion methods were identified. In pooled analysis of five studies (n = 5838 pregnancies), 71% (95% CI: 66-77%) of pregnancies dated by SFH were within ±14 days of ultrasound confirmed dating. Using the 1 cm SFH = 1wk assumption, SFH underestimated GA compared with ultrasound-confirmed GA (mean bias: -14.0 days) with poor accuracy (95% limits of agreement [LOA]: ±42.8 days; n = 3 studies, 2447 pregnancies). Statistical modeling of three serial SFH measurements performed better, but accuracy was still poor (95% LOA ±33 days; n = 4 studies, 4391 pregnancies). In conclusion, there is wide variation in SFH measurement and SFH-to-GA conversion techniques. SFH is inaccurate for estimating GA and should not be used for GA dating. Increasing access to quality ultrasonography early in pregnancy should be prioritized to improve gestational age assessment in LMIC.

Usefulness of ST segment depression limited to the recovery phase of exercise stress test.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the diagnostic value of ST segment depression limited to recovery phase of Exercise Tolerance Test (ETT). STUDY DESIGN: An observational cross-sectional study. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: The study was carried out at Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Lahore, from March to August 2007 for a period of 6 months. METHODOLOGY: In this study, 100 patients were selected with purposive non-probability sampling technique and were divided into two groups, group A having ST segment depression during exercise phase of ETT, and group B having ST segment depression only in recovery phase after undergoing ETT according to Bruce protocol. The patients were subjected to coronary angiography later on. The chi-square or Fischer's exact test of significance was applied at 0.05 level of significance to compare the coronary angiographic finding between two groups. Diagnostic value of ST segment depression was computed keeping angiographic finding as Gold standard. RESULTS: There were no major differences between the two groups regarding angiographic finding. Significant coronary artery stenosis (> 50% narrowing) was found in 68 (93%) patients of group A and 23 (85%) patients of group B (p=0.18). Three vessel disease was found in 30 (41%) patients in group A and 7 (26%) patients in group B (p=0.08). Left main stem disease was found in 5 (6.8%) patients of group A and 1 (3.7%) patient of group B. Normal coronaries were found in 6% of patients among group A and 14% of patients among group B (p=0.12). Specificity, sensitivity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV) and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) of ST segment depression in recovery phase was 55, 25, 85 and 6 percent respectively (95% CI; 1.16 - 2.25). CONCLUSION: In patients undergoing exercise stress test, ST segment depression occurring only in recovery phase of ETT has a diagnostic value largely comparable with that of ST segment depression induced during exercise phase of ETT. Thus careful evaluation of ST segment depression occurring only in recovery phase may add significantly to the clinical information derived from the results of ETT.

The effect of a six-month exercise program on very low-density lipoprotein apolipoprotein B secretion in type 2 diabetes.

The dyslipidemia and insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes can be improved by aerobic exercise. The effect of 6 months supervised exercise on very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) apolipoprotein B metabolism was investigated in patients with type 2 diabetes. Moderately obese patients (n = 18) were randomized into supervised (n = 9) and unsupervised (n = 9) exercise groups. All patients were given a training session and a personal exercise program and asked to exercise four times per week at 70% maximal oxygen uptake for 6 months. Patients in the supervised group had a weekly session with an exercise trainer. VLDL apolipoprotein (apo)B metabolism was measured with an infusion of 1-(13)C leucine before and after 6 months of the exercise program. Supervised exercise for 6 months resulted in a significant within-group decrease in percent hemoglobin A1c (P < 0.001), body fat (P < 0.004), nonesterified fatty acid (P < 0.04), and triglycerides (P < 0.05) and an increase in insulin sensitivity (P < 0.01). There was a decrease in VLDL apoB pool size (160.8 +/- 42.6 to 84.9 +/- 23.2 mg, P < 0.01) and VLDL apoB secretion rate (11.3 +/- 2.6 to 5.5 +/- 2.0 mg/kg.d, P < 0.05) with no change in fractional catabolic rate. In a between-group comparison, the decrease in VLDL apoB secretion rate in the supervised group did not achieve significance. This study demonstrates that in type 2 diabetes, a supervised exercise program reduces VLDL apoB pool size, which may be due to a decrease in VLDL apoB secretion rate.

Effect of 6-month supervised exercise on low-density lipoprotein apolipoprotein B kinetics in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Although low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is often normal in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is evidence for a reduced fractional catabolic rate and consequently an increased mean residence time (MRT), which can increase atherogenic risk. The dyslipidemia and insulin resistance of type 2 diabetes mellitus can be improved by aerobic exercise, but effects on LDL kinetics are unknown. The effect of 6-month supervised exercise on LDL apolipoprotein B kinetics was studied in a group of 17 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (mean age, 56.8 years; range, 38-68 years). Patients were randomized into a supervised group, who had a weekly training session, and an unsupervised group. LDL kinetics were measured with an infusion of 1-(13)C leucine at baseline in all groups and after 6 months of exercise in the patients. Eight body mass index-matched nondiabetic controls (mean age, 50.3 years; range, 40-67 years) were also studied at baseline only. At baseline, LDL MRT was significantly longer in the diabetic patients, whereas LDL production rate and fractional clearance rates were significantly lower than in controls. Percentage of glycated hemoglobin A(1c), body mass index, insulin sensitivity measured by the homeostasis model assessment, and very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride decreased (P < .02) in the supervised group, with no change in the unsupervised group. After 6 months, LDL cholesterol did not change in either the supervised or unsupervised group; but there was a significant change in LDL MRT between groups (P < .05) that correlated positively with very low-density lipoprotein triglyceride (r = 0.51, P < .04) and negatively with maximal oxygen uptake, a measure of fitness (r = -0.51, P = .035), in all patients. The LDL production and clearance rates did not change in either group. This study suggests that a supervised exercise program can reduce deleterious changes in LDL MRT.