Analysis of mold and mycotoxins in naturally infested indoor building materials.

Health issues of residents of mold-infested housing are reported on a regular basis, and reasons for the arising impairments can be manifold. One possible cause are the toxic secondary metabolite produced by indoor microfungi (mycotoxins). To enable a more thorough characterization of the exposure to mycotoxins in indoor environments, data on occurrence and quantities of mycotoxins is essential. In the presented study, 51 naturally mold-infested building material samples were analyzed applying a previously developed method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) separation in combination with triple-quadrupole mass spectrometry (TQMS) detection. A total of 38 secondary metabolites derived from different indoor mold genera like Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys were analyzed, of which 16 were detectable in 28 samples. As both the spectrum of target analytes and the investigated sample matrices showed high chemical varieties, an alternative calibration approach was applied complementary to identify potentially emerging matrix effects during ionization and mass spectrometric detection. Overall, strong alterations of analyte signals were rare, and compensation of considerable matrix suppression/enhancement only had to be performed for certain samples. Besides mycotoxin determination and quantification, the presence of 18 different mold species was confirmed applying microbiological approaches in combination with macro- and microscopic identification according to DIN ISO 16000-17:2010-06. These results additionally highlight the diversity of mycotoxins potentially arising in indoor environments and leads to the assumption that indoor mycotoxin exposure stays an emerging topic of research, which has only just commenced.

The effect on erectile function of 103palladium implantation for localized prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To determine in a prospective study the effect on erectile function of (103)Pd brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer, using a validated questionnaire. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between July 1999 and April 2003, 113 men with localized prostate cancer were treated by permanent implantation of (103)Pd seeds, of whom 78 with a follow-up of 30 months were included in this study. No patient received supplemental external beam radiation therapy. At baseline and 3-month intervals, erectile function (EF) was assessed by the EF domain score of the International Index of Erectile Function-15 (IIEF-15); 77% received (neo)adjuvant antiandrogen therapy for up to 3 months. RESULTS: At baseline, 27 (35%) patients had no erectile dysfunction (ED; EF domain score 26-30), 24 (31%) had mild/moderate ED (score 11-25) and 27 (35%) severe ED (score 6-10). The mean EF domain score decreased from 17 to 12 (P < 0.001) after 30 months. Overall, 52 men (67%, including those with severe ED at baseline) remained in the same ED category at 30 months after therapy as before, 12 (15%) deteriorated by one category, 14 (18%) by two or more, and no patient improved. Of the 27 patients fully potent (score 26-30) at baseline, 37% remained so after 30 months, 19% developed mild and the remaining 44% moderate/severe ED. In a multivariate analysis, neither age nor preoperative prostate-specific antigen level, prostate volume, D90, hormonal treatment, diabetes, smoking or hypertension were predictive of preserving potency (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: There was a high prevalence of pre-existing ED in these men; 57% of men fully potent or with mild ED at baseline remained so 30 months after brachytherapy.

Elective open nephron-sparing surgery for renal masses: single-center experience with 129 consecutive patients.

OBJECTIVES: To present our experience with elective, open, nephron-sparing surgery for renal masses in a contemporary, consecutive series. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the files of all patients who underwent elective nephron-sparing surgery between January 1996 and December 2002 at our institution were reviewed. The preoperative workup included renal ultrasonography and abdominal computed tomography. The histologic findings, complications, and oncologic outcome were studied. The surgical technique (ischemia and regional hypothermia) was identical in all patients. RESULTS: A total of 129 patients (mean age 61 years) were analyzed. The mean +/- standard deviation tumor size on preoperative computed tomography was 4.0 +/- 2.4 cm. Renal cell carcinoma was present in 86 patients (66.7%), a benign cyst in 18 (13.9%), oncocytoma in 10 (7.8%), angiomyolipoma in 7 (5.5%), adenoma in 4 (3.1%), xanthogranulomatous pyelonephritis in 3 (2.3%), and metastasis of a malignant melanoma in 1 patient. Two patients (1.6%) required secondary nephrectomy because of postoperative bleeding. After a median follow-up of 34 months (range 2 to 91), no patient had developed local recurrence, one (0.8%) had developed lymph node metastasis, and two (1.6%) had developed distant metastases. The creatinine clearance decreased from 77 +/- 27 mL/min before surgery to 64 +/- 23 mL/min after a median of 34 months. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this contemporary, monocenter experience underline the role of open, elective, nephron-sparing surgery for patients with small renal masses, particularly because benign histologic findings were present in almost one third of patients.

Phenylalanine-independent biosynthesis of 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone. A retrobiosynthetic NMR study with root cultures of Swertia chirata.

Root cultures of Swertia chirata (Gentianaceae) were grown with supplements of [1-13C]glucose, [U-13C6]glucose or [carboxy-13C]shikimic acid. 1,3,5,8-Tetrahydroxyxanthone was isolated and analysed by quantitative NMR analysis. The observed isotopomer distribution shows that 1,3,5,8-tetrahydroxyxanthone is biosynthesized via a polyketide-type pathway. The starter unit, 3-hydroxybenzoyl-CoA, is obtained from an early shikimate pathway intermediate. Phenylalanine, cinnamic acid and benzoic acid were ruled out as intermediates.

Prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction in Austria--analysis of a health screening project.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to determine prevalence and risk factors for erectile dysfunction (ED) in men undergoing a health investigation. METHODS: Men aged 30-69 yrs participating in a health screening project in the area of Vienna completed a 11-item questionnaire on ED which was extracted from the international index of erectile function (IIEF). In parallel, all men underwent a detailed health examination including physical assessment, evaluation of various life-style factors and a blood analysis with 14 parameters. RESULTS: Within the total study population (n = 832; 45.3 +/- 9.8 yrs), 8.2% reported no sexual intercourse during the previous four weeks, 5.1% reported moderate/severe ED, 13.1% mild and 73.6% no ED. ED, defined as any problem in maintaining erection until the end of sexual intercourse, increased from 12.5% in those aged 30-39 yrs to 15.3% at 40-49 yrs, 27.4% at 50-59 yrs and 45.2% in men 60-69 yrs. In parallel, the percentage of men without sexual intercourse during the previous four weeks increased from 7.4% at 30-39 yrs to 8.8% at 50-59 yrs and 17.0% at 60-69 yrs. By far the strongest correlate for ED was age; other factors were cardiovascular diseases, physical activity and diabetes mellitus. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first estimate of the prevalence of ED in different life decades of men in Vienna, and identifies a number of risk factors for this highly prevalent disorder in ageing men.

Seven imidazole alkaloids from Lepidium sativum.

The seeds of Lepidium sativum afforded five new dimeric imidazole alkaloids lepidine B, C, D, E and F in addition to the known imidazole alkaloid lepidine and two new monomeric imidazole alkaloids semilepidinoside A and B. Their structure were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic evidence.