Disappearance of codeine, morphine and 6-MAM in hair after cessation of abuse.

Research on the determination of drugs of abuse in hair has established that drugs can be detected in hair even long after cessation of use. The purpose of this study was to analyze hair samples from chronic opioid users who were beginning a controlled drug cessation program. The study population (n = 15) is involved in a drug rehabilitation program in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Over a 6-month period, subjects provided hair samples at 2-month intervals, with the first sample collected on the day they began the program. Codeine, morphine, and 6-MAM were analyzed by GC/MS (LOQ = 0.2 ng/mg). Hair tresses were divided into 1 cm segments and analyzed for all analytes 0-1 cm corresponding to the proximal portion to the scalp Following cessation of opioid use, traces of codeine, morphine, and 6-MAM still remained in the newly growing hair segments for a specified period. After 2 months, still 27 % of the users tested positive, and at 4 months, 20 % were positive but only for 6-MAM. However, after 6 months of abstinence, the results were negative for all analytes.

[Pharmacogenetic analysis of the absorption kinetics of cyclosporine in a population of Spanish cardiac transplant patients]. / Análisis farmacogenético de la cinética de absorción de ciclosporina en una población española de pacientes trasplantados cardíacos.

OBJECTIVE: To determine how single nucleotide polymorphisms located on genes MDR1, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 affect the absorption kinetics of cyclosporine in cardiac transplant patients. METHOD: We selected a sample of 30 adult patients having previously undergone a primary cardiac transplant and who had received cyclosporine as an immunosuppressant. During the first month after the transplant, we performed a pharmacokinetic study of each patient to determine values in the cyclosporine concentration area under the 12-hour curve, steady-state cyclosporine concentration, maximum cyclosporine concentration, and time to reach that concentration. Single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in all patients: MDR1 3435C > T, CYP3A4-390A > G and CYP3A5 6986A > G. RESULTS: Being a carrier of the T-allele for polymorphism MDR1 3435C > T is associated with higher values in the cyclosporine concentration area under the 12-hour curve (p = 0.01) and in steady-state cyclosporine concentration (p = 0.05), compared with those from patients who do not carry that allele. DISCUSSION: Our results show that genotype differences in MDR1 3435C > T can explain part of the variability in cyclosporine absorption among individuals in the population of Spanish cardiac transplant recipients.

Análisis farmacogenético de la cinética de absorción de ciclosporina en una población española de pacientes trasplantados cardíacos / Pharmacogenetic analysis of the absorption kinetics of cyclosporine in a population of Spanish cardiac transplant patients

Objetivo: Determinar el papel de polimorfismos de nucleótido único localizados en los genes MDR1, CYP3A4 y CYP3A5 sobre la cinética de absorción de ciclosporina en pacientes trasplantados cardíacos. Método: Se seleccionó una muestra de 30 pacientes adultos sometidos a un primer trasplante de corazón que habían recibido ciclosporina como tratamiento inmunosupresor. En el primer mes después del trasplante se realizó un estudio farmacocinético a cada paciente para determinar los valores del área de concentración de ciclosporina bajo la curva de 12 h, concentración de ciclosporina en estado de equilibrio, concentración de ciclosporina máxima y el tiempo en alcanzar dicha concentración. En todos los pacientes se genotipificaron los polimorfismos de nucleótido único: MDR1 3435C > T, CYP3A4-390A > G y CYP3A5 6986A > G. Resultados: Ser portador del alelo T para el polimorfismo MDR1 3435C > T se asoció a valores mayores de área de concentración de ciclosporina bajo la curva de 12 h (p = 0,01) y de concentración de ciclosporina en estado de equilibrio (p = 0,05), en comparación con los pacientes no portadores de dicho alelo. Discusión: Nuestros resultados muestran que las diferencias genotípicas de MDR1 3435C > T podrían explicar parte de la variabilidad interindividual en la absorción de la ciclosporina en la población española de trasplantados cardíacos (AU)

Objective: To determine how single nucleotide polymorphisms located on genes MDR1, CYP3A4 and CYP3A5 affect the absorption kinetics of cyclosporine in cardiac transplant patients. Method: We selected a sample of 30 adult patients having previously undergone a primary cardiac transplant and who had received cyclosporine as an immunosuppressant. During the first month after the transplant, we performed a pharmacokinetic study of each patient to determine values in the cyclosporine concentration area under the 12-hour curve, steady-state cyclosporine concentration, maximum cyclosporine concentration, and time to reach that concentration. Single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in all patients: MDR1 3435C > T, CYP3A4-390A > G and CYP3A5 6986A > G. Results: Being a carrier of the T-allele for polymorphism MDR1 3435C > T is associated with higher values in the cyclosporine concentration area under the 12-hour curve (p = 0.01) and in steady-state cyclosporine concentration (p = 0.05), compared with those from patients who do not carry that allele. Discussion: Our results show that genotype differences in MDR1 3435C > T can explain part of the variability in cyclosporine absorption among individuals in the population of Spanish cardiac transplant recipients (AU)

Size-dependent thermo-optical properties of embedded Bi nanostructures.

The thermally induced optical transmission changes upon melting and solidification of Bi nanostructures embedded in amorphous Al(2)O(3) thin films have been studied as a function of characteristic sizes in the range 7-35 nm. The results show a repeatable optical transmission-temperature hysteresis loop with sharp changes at the melting and solidification temperatures. Both temperatures decrease linearly when the mean size of the nanostructures decreases and they are respectively higher and lower than that of the bulk melting temperature of Bi. The optical transmission shows a significant contrast that increases up to 16% as the mean size of the nanostructures increases. The results show that in addition to the usual decrease of melting temperature as the size of the nanostructures decreases, the melting temperatures for all samples are higher than that of the bulk. This unexpected result is associated to the contraction of Bi upon melting and to matrix effects related to the balance of surface energies between the solid and liquid Bi and the matrix. The solidification process shows a weaker dependence on the nanostructure size, and thus it is consistent with a mainly volume controlled process. It is shown that by controlling the characteristic dimensions of the Bi nanostructures the temperature operability of the Bi nanostructures embedded in amorphous Al(2)O(3) as a thermally driven optical switch can be tuned over 73 K.

Optical evidence for reactive processes when embedding Cu nanoparticles in Al(2)O(3) by pulsed laser deposition.

The optical response of nanocomposite thin films formed by Cu nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in amorphous aluminium oxide (Al(2)O(3)) prepared by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in vacuum is studied in order to investigate the possible existence of reactive processes on the Cu NPs during their covering with Al(2)O(3). The study is performed as a function of the laser fluence on the Al(2)O(3) target (0.6-4.6 J cm(-2)), while the laser fluence for Cu ablation is kept constant (1.8 J cm(-2)). The structural analysis of the films shows that they are formed by a high density of NPs with average dimensions in the 4.9-5.9 nm range. The optical response of the films has been followed in situ by real-time reflectivity measurements at 633 nm and after deposition by transmission measurements as a function of wavelength around the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). For low laser fluences on the Al(2)O(3) target, the absorption spectrum is dominated by a well-defined SPR absorption band at 1.9 eV. As the laser fluence is increased, the intensity of the absorption band associated with the SPR decreases and shifts to 2.1 eV. The films deposited at low fluences contain metallic Cu NPs and, as the laser fluence increases sputtering of Cu from the NPs and mixing of the species from the Al(2)O(3) deposition with the Cu from the NPs surface takes place. The latter process leads to the formation of an Al-Cu oxide cover on the Cu NPs. The present results provide evidence for mixing of species from the host and Cu at the surface of the NPs, and it is shown how the degree of mixing depends on the laser fluence used to ablate the Al(2)O(3) host target.

La variabilidad anatómica del aparato hioideo en las radiografías panorámicas / The anatomical variability of the hyoid complex in panoramic radiographs

Las posibles variaciones del aparato hiohideo se pueden observar y mensurar en las radiografías panorámicas. Por ello debemos insistir en la importancia de que el clínico sepa identificar las estructuras anatómicas que rodean a los maxilares. Material y método: Se escogieron de forma aleatoria una muestra de radiogafías panorámicas pertenecientes a 476 paciente procedentes de los Departamentos de Medicina y Cirugía Bucofacial y de Estomatología IV (Profilaxis, Odontopediatría y Ortodoncia) de la Facultad de Odontología de la Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Medimos la longitud, morfología y mineralización del aparato hioideo según las clasificaciones de Langlais et cols y las relacionamos con el sexo y la edad. Resultados y conclusión: El patrón morfológico tipo I o estándar es el más numeroso; si hay variaciones del aparato hioideo éstas son mayoritariamente bilaterales, simétricas y no están relacionadas con el sexo ni con su ubicación (AU)

Structural studies of pulsed-laser deposited nanocomposite metal-oxide films.

Pulsed laser deposition in vacuum has been used to develop metal-oxide nanocomposite films with well controlled structural quality. Results for the copper-aluminium oxide (Cu:Al2O3) system are used to illustrate the main morphological and structural features of these films. High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis shows that the films consist of Cu nanocrystals with average dimensions that can be controlled between 2 nm and 10 nm embedded in an amorphous Al2O3 matrix. It is observed that the in-plane shape of the nanocrystals evolves from circular to elongated, and the number of nanocrystals per unit area decreases as their size increases. This evolution is explained in terms of nucleation at the substrate surface and coalescence during the later stages of growth. The thermal stability of the films has been studied by in situ TEM annealing and no transformation could be observed up to about 800 degrees C when partial crystallization of the Al2O3 starts.

Tratamiento quirurgico de los tumores primarios de duodeno / Surgical treatment of primary tumors of the duodenum

El duodeno es una localización poco frecuente de tumores. Se presenta una serie de 11 tumores primarios de duodeno, 6 malignos y 5 benignos, tratados en nuestro servicio en los últimos 5 años. Se analiza la clínica, métodos diagnósticos, localización y anatomía-patológica, asi como el tratamiento empleado y la sobrevida de los casos. Se concluye que la cirugia radical, mediante duodenopancreatectomia, es el único tratamiento con criterio oncológico ceptable en los tumores malignos duodenales. En los tumores benignos la resección local es el tratamiento de elección

[Urinary excresion of indican during recovery from malnutrition]. / Excreción urinaria de indicán durante la recuperación de la desnutrición.

Most indican excreted in the urine comes from the degradation of tryptophan through the action of microorganisms dwelling within the intestinal lumen. Based on this knowledge, the excretion of this compound was investigated during the recovery process of 19 malnourished infants; thus, attempts were made to recognize indirectly whether quantitative modifications take place in the intestinal flora as the state of nutrition is re-established. The results do not suggest the presence of an important variation of the bacterial content within the intestine of these children, at least during the first four weeks of their recovery.