Implementation of an integrated glucose POCT system

In response to a change of the Belgian National Directives whereby hospital laboratories became responsible for all point-of-care testing (POCT) performed within hospital walls a standardized and automated POC glucose-testing system was implemented in our hospital. The system consists of 50 AccuCheck Inform instruments (Roche Diagnostics, Vilvoorde, Belgium), 50 docking stations, a DataCare Server, and connections to the medical laboratory information system (MOLIS, Sysmex, Barchon, Belgium) and to the hospital information system. Implementation involved many parties and extensive preparation and communication. Key issues were bar-coded patient and user identification, training, and responsibilities. One year after the hospital wide implementation of this system the quality of POC glucose testing has significantly increased, thereby improving patient safety. This study describes a stepwise change over involving the medical laboratory and with a focus on hands-on quality.Presented at the ninth conference on Quality in the Spotlight, 18–19 March 2004, Antwerp, Belgium.     

Spin dynamics investigated by EPR in the paramagnetic regime of La2/3Ca1/3Mn1−x Me x O3 (Me = Al, In) manganites

We report an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) investigation of the spin dynamics in the paramagnetic regime of the colossal magnetoresistive manganites La_2/3Ca_1/3Mn_1?x Me _x O₃ (Me=Al, In;x≤0.05). The temperature dependences of the EPR linewidth and integral intensity have been analyzed in terms of the bottleneck spin relaxation and small-polaron hopping models. The exchange coupling integral between Mn³⁺ and Mn⁴⁺ ions and the polaron activation energy decrease with increasing doping level. A discussion is given concerning the factors which could explain the observed changes.     

Double cyclisation of phenylglycine-o-carboxylic acids—I: New stable mesoionic oxazolones

Remarkably stable mesoionic oxazolones possessing an oxazolo[3,2-a]quinolinium structure (5a–b),8,16, 17) were obtained by the double cyclisation of phenylglycine-o-carboxylic acids (3a–c) in refluxing acetic anhydride or in benzoic anhydride at 140°, The 0-Ac group was eliminated to give the corresponding lactones (6a–b) or replaced by O-Ts (7). IR stretching vibrations of the endo-carbonyl were in the range 1710–1768 cm^?1, while v_1-CH exhibited unusually high values (3159–3194 cm^-1). 1-Acyl derivatives could be obtained only with TFAA (23–24), although easy deuteration of the same position took place in the presence of traces of trifluoroacetic acid. Hydrolysis of 5b led to the α-quinolone-N-acetic acid 27a. In the case of 5a, hydrolysis was accompanied by self-acylation of the nucleophilic site at C-4 with formation of a dimeric acid 28a. The presence of an additional Me group in phenylalanine-o-carboxylic acid (36) activates the corresponding mesoionic oxazolone 37 so that 1-acylation becomes possible with formation of the fused oxazole 38 by the Dakin-West reaction. Temperature dependent magnetic non-equivalence of methylene protons has been observed in acids 3b-d and f and also in the 7-membered anhydride 48b.     

Specific determination of 20 primary aromatic amines in aqueous food simulants by liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry

A multi-analyte method without any pre-treatment steps using reversed-phase liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS) was developed and applied for the determination of 20 primary aromatic amines (PAA) associated with polyurethane (PUR) products or azo-colours. The method was validated in-house for water and 3% acetic acid food simulants using spiked migrates from plastic laminates. Detection limits ranged from 0.27 to 3 microg amine/L food simulants, and RSD values of within-laboratory reproducibility at the 2 microg PAA/L level ranged from 3.9 to 19%. PAA migration from plastic laminates and black nylon cooking utensils were determined with the method, and high levels of 4,4'-methylenedianiline and aniline were found in migrates from about half of the tested cooking utensils. The method fulfils present legislative demands in the EU for screening and verification of PAA migration from food contact materials.     

Synthesis of fused imidazo-pyridine and -azepine derivatives by sequential van Leusen/Heck reactions

Fused imidazo-pyridine and -azepine derivatives were synthesized using a sequential van Leusen/intramolecular Heck protocol. The combination of a multicomponent reaction followed by an intramolecular carbon-carbon bond forming reaction generates heterocycles of significant molecular complexity from readily available starting materials in just two steps.     

Elektronenlokalisierung im Grundzustand und in angeregten Zuständen Pars-Orbital-Methode, 12. Mitt

UsingGleason's theorem the pars orbital concept is developed for excited states of conjugated systems described by CI-methods. A significance index is introduced to evaluate different patterns of fragmentation. The usefulness of this approach is illustrated for butadiene, biphenyl, naphthalene, and azulene.

11. Mitt.:H. Karpf, O. E. Polansky undM. Zander, Tetrahedron Lett.1978, 2069.     

The polysaccharide extracts from the fungi Coprinus comatus and Coprinellus truncorum do exhibit AChE inhibitory activity

The polysaccharide (PSH) extracts from the edible mushroom species Coprinus comatus and Coprinellus truncorum were screened in liquid for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory (AChE) activity. Both extracts were found to display inhibition of the aforementioned enzyme reaching similar IC₅₀ values of 0.62 ± 0.07 and 0.61 ± 0.03 mg/mL, respectively. According to the means of FTIR spectroscopy, these PSH extracts mostly contained β-glucans. However, the presence of some proteins and polyphenolics as minor ingredients were also detected. Compared with existing literature data for anti-AChE activity of the sugar samples, the findings within this study may be treated as a profound bioactivity. Consequently, this study puts some light on the possible use of the screened macrofungi in the palliative treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.     

Efficient trapping of HNO by deoxymyoglobin

Nitrosyl hydride, HNO, also commonly termed nitroxyl, is a transient species that has been implicated in the biological activity of nitric oxide, NO. Herein, we report the first generation of a stable HNO-metal complex by direct trapping of free HNO. Deoxymyoglobin (Mb-Fe(II)) rapidly reacts with HNO produced from the decomposition of methylsulfonylhydroxylamine (MSHA) or Angeli's salt (AS) in aqueous solutions from pH 7 to pH 10, forming an adduct, Mb-HNO. The unique 1H NMR signal of the Fe-bound HNO at 14.8 ppm allows definitive proof of its formation. The generation of Mb-HNO and quantification of various myoglobin byproducts were accomplished by correlation of 1H NMR, UV-vis, and EPR spectroscopies. Typically, the maximum Mb-HNO yield obtained is 60-80%; competitive side reactions with byproducts as well as the further reactivity of the Mb-HNO decrease the overall yield. At pH 10, the observed rate of Mb-HNO generation by trapping HNO from MSHA is close to that for MSHA decomposition; kinetic simulations give a lower limit to the bimolecular rate of trapping as 1.4 x 10(4) M(-1) s(-1). The binding of HNO to deoxymyoglobin is rapid and essentially irreversible, which suggests that the biological activity of nitroxyl may be mediated by its reactivity with ferrous heme proteins such as myoglobin and hemoglobin.