Essential oils composition of Periploca laevigata Aiton subsp. angustifolia (Labill.) Markgraf (Apocynaceae-Periplocoideae).

The essential oil of roots, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits of Periploca laevigata Aiton subsp. angustifolia (Apocynaceae) from Lampedusa Island has been obtained by hydrodistillation and its composition analysed. The analyses allowed the identification and quantification of 86 volatile compounds. Branches showed the higher diversity with 57 compounds followed by fruits with 33, roots with 23, flowers with 16 and leaves with six compounds, respectively. In the matrices examined three constituents, heneicosane, docosane and tricosane are in common, although with different percentages. At least the most abundant compounds found in the matrices have been reported to have several biological activities. 2-Hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde identified in the roots as the most abundant component (70.7%) and present with 8.3% in the branches is a potent tyrosinase inhibitor present in several African medicinal plants, and thus being used as an ingredient in cosmetic and other medicinal products, primarily in relation to hyperpigmentation. Among the compounds identified, several play a role as semiochemicals for many animals, and 28 allomones, 43 pheromones, 21 kairomones have been identified. P. laevigata subsp. angustifolia in Lampedusa Island is host to a community of visitors, and the possible ecological role of the volatiles found is briefly discussed.

Six-month outcome in acute kidney injury requiring renal replacement therapy in the ICU: a multicentre prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess quality of life (QOL), mortality rate and renal function 6 months after onset of renal replacement therapy (RRT) for acute kidney injury (AKI) in the ICU. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: This prospective observational study was conducted in seven ICUs in France over 9 months. Inclusion criteria were: age > or =18 years, RRT delivered for AKI and informed consent signed. AKI was defined from the RIFLE score. Recipients of kidney grafts or patients undergoing chronic RRT were not included. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: QOL was assessed using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) questionnaire together with the Index of Activities of Daily Living (ADL) (0: full assistance to 6: no assistance). SF-36 was compared to a reference age- and sex-matched French population. Patient status, place of residence, and persistence of RRT, ADL and SF-36 were assessed at 28 days, 3 months and 6 months from inclusion. In the study period, 205 patients were included and 1 withdrew. At 6 months, 77/204 were alive (mortality 62%). SF-36 and ADL significantly increased from day 28 to 6 months. In the survivors at 6 months, SF-36 items were significantly lower than in the reference population, with the physical items more severely affected than the mental items; 64% were fully autonomous (ADL score = 6); 69% were living in their homes, and 12% were still undergoing RRT; 94% would agree to undergo the same management again. CONCLUSIONS: ICU survivors from RRT for AKI have an impaired QOL at 6 months, but sustained autonomy in their daily lives.

Band-gap engineering of metal oxides for dye-sensitized solar cells.

Mixed oxides Ti(1-x)Zr(x)O2 with 0 < x < or = 0.2 were synthesized by means of thermal hydrolysis for use in dye-sensitized solar cells. The lattice parameter d is observed to increase linearly with Zr content x. The band gap of the mixed oxides was measured to increase by up to 0.2 eV. The respective shift of the conduction band edge leads to an increase of the open circuit voltage (V(OC)) by up to 0.1 V. Among others, temperature-dependent measurements of V(OC) clearly identify the correlation between band edge shift and change in V(OC).

Semisynthetic derivatives of ent-kauranes and their antifeedant activity.

Chemical modification of functional groups on linearol yielded several ent-kaurane derivatives. These compounds were tested for their antifeedant activity against larvae of Spodoptera littoralis. Although linearol did not influence the feeding behaviour of larvae, some of its derivatives showed significant antifeedant activity.

Neoclerodane diterpenoids from Teucrium maghrebinum.

Eight neoclerodane diterpenoids were identified in the extract of the aerial parts of Teucrium maghrebinum. Three of these, 12-epi-teucjaponin A (1), 12-epi-montanin D (2), and 12-epi-montanin B (3), are new natural products, whereas five, teucjaponin A, montanin D, 19-deacetylteuscorodol, teusalvin C (4), and montanin B, are already known. These eight compounds form four pairs of epimers at carbon C-12.

Minor diterpenoids from Scutellaria polyodon.

Four minor neoclerodane diterpene constituents were isolated from the aerial parts of Scutellaria polyodon. These compounds were characterized as the new scupolins J (1) and K (2) and the previously known scutalpin O (3) and scutalsin.

Effects of prone position on alveolar recruitment and oxygenation in acute lung injury.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of prone position (PP) on alveolar recruitment and oxygenation in acute respiratory failure. DESIGN: Prospective physiologic study. SETTING: Medical ICU two in a university hospital. PATIENTS: Twelve adult patients intubated and mechanically ventilated with medical primary acute lung injury/adult respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) in whom PP was indicated. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: We constructed the static inflation volume-pressure curves (V-P) of the respiratory system in the 12 patients and differentiated between lung and chest wall in ten of them. We determined the difference between end-expiratory lung volume on positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) and relaxation volume of the respiratory system on zero PEEP (delta FRC). The recruited alveolar volume was computed as the delta FRC times the ratio of static elastance of the respiratory system to the lung. These measurements together with arterial blood gases determination were made in supine position (SP1), after 1 h of PP and after 1 h of supine repositioning (SP2) at the same level of PEEP. The PaO2/FIO2 ratio improved from SP1 to PP (136 +/- 17 vs 204 +/- 24 mm Hg; p < 0.01). An PP-induced alveolar recruitment was found in five patients. The change in oxygenation correlated to the recruited volume. The static elastance of the chest wall decreased from 4.62 +/- 0.99 cmH2O/l in SP1 to 6.26 +/- 0.54 cmH2O/l in PP (p < 0.05) without any correlation to the change in oxygenation. CONCLUSIONS: Alveolar recruitment may be a mechanism of oxygenation improvement in some patients with acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. No correlation was found between change in oxygenation and chest wall elastic properties.