Determination of L-dopa, carbidopa, 3-O-methyldopa and entacapone in human plasma by HPLC-ED.

The aim of the study was the development of analytical methods suitable for the quantification of L-dopa, carbidopa and entacapone in plasma of Parkinsonian patients treated with Stalevo(®). The metabolite 3-O-methyldopa was also determined to obtain some indications on the pharmacokinetics of L-dopa. For the simultaneous analysis of L-dopa, 3-O-methyldopa and carbidopa, a RP C18 column as the stationary phase and a mixture of methanol and a pH 2.88 phosphate buffer (8:92, v/v) as the mobile phase were used. A feasible plasma pre-treatment based on protein precipitation was implemented, obtaining extraction yield higher than 94% for all the analytes. For the analysis of entacapone a RP C8 column and a mixture of methanol, acetonitrile and a pH 1.90 phosphate buffer as the mobile phase (17.5:22.5:60, v/v/v) were used. A plasma pre-treatment procedure was developed, based on solid phase extraction of entacapone using Oasis HLB cartridges. Extraction yields were good, being always higher than 96%. Both methods, based on HPLC-ED (V=+0.8V), have been fully validated. Good linearity was obtained over the following concentration ranges: 100-4000 ng mL(-1) for L-dopa, 200-10,000 ng mL(-1) for 3-O-methyldopa, 25-4000 ng mL(-1) for carbidopa and 20-4000 ng mL(-1) for entacapone. Precision data were satisfactory, being R.S.D.% values lower than 5.64%; accuracy also resulted very good with recovery data higher than 90%. The proposed methods have been successfully applied to the analysis of patient plasma samples and seem to be suitable for therapeutic drug monitoring purposes.

Inertially assisted nanoscale self-assembly.

We present a simple and versatile method for integrating submicron objects onto pre-determined locations on a substrate. The method relies on augmenting inertial forces using centrifugal motion and geometric constraints to guide the placement of submicron objects on a substrate with minimal requirements for surface engineering and binding chemistries. Here, we demonstrate the utility of the method for placing gold particles, metal nanorods and inorganic nanocrystals. The method has demonstrated high yield of self-assembly for submicron particles with a variety of shapes and sizes. We have been able to get a near-perfect yield for filling hundreds of traps with nanoparticles in only 20 min. Two hundred nanometer diameter nanorods were self-assembled into an array of 256 traps on the template with 92% yield. 1.4 microm and 300 nm sodium chloride crystals were self-assembled in arrays of 7000 and 576 traps, respectively, with near-perfect yield in filling each site. Due to its convenient set-up and high performance, inertially assisted self-assembly can be easily adopted and used for a variety of integration needs on the submicron scale.

[The prevalence of risk factors for coronary arteriosclerosis in the urban areas of the Argentine Patagonia. A multicenter study]. / Prevalencia de los factores de riesgo para la ateroesclerosis coronaria en zonas urbanas de la Patagonia Argentina. Estudio multicéntrico.

It is important to know the prevalence of risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in the urban south area of Argentina in order to implement the prevention of this disease. In 330 males and 322 females of Viedma and Cipolletti (Province of Rio Negro), and Comodoro Rivadavia (Province of Chubut), we determined total cholesterol (CT), triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol (CHDL), LDL cholesterol (CLDL), uric acid (AcU), systolic pressure (PS), diastolic pressure (PD), cigarette smokers (Cig), and body mass index (BMI). Laboratories were coordinated as to methodology and quality control. Between 30 and 50 years of age, the prevalence of risk factors was greater in males than females; 27.3% of males vs 16.0 of females had CT > or = 240 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 30.5% vs 19.7%, had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 10.3% vs 5.9%, had CHDL < 35 mg/dl, 8.9% vs 4.2% had PS > 145 mmHg, 9.0% vs 5.9%, had PD > 90 mm Hg, 33.6% vs 23.4%, had Cig > or = 10/d (p < 0.05), 26.0% vs 13.8% had TG > 170 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 30.5% vs 22.4%, had BMI > 27 Kg/m2 (p < 0.05) (Figs. 2-3). This difference between sexes was not significant over 50 years of age, when the prevalence of factors increased in both sexes. In Figure 4, 41.5% of males and 34.5% of females had one primary risk factor, 13.0% of males and 9.9% of females had two factors and 1.5% of males had three. The following main combinations of two primary risk factors was observed: between 30 and 50 years of age, 10.3% of males and 3.7% of females had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl and Cig > or = 10/d (p < 0.01); over 50 years, 19.5% of females and 11.8% of males had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl and PS > 145 mm Hg (NS). We suggest that operatives of education for the prevention of high cholesterol, no smoking and control of high blood pressure, are needed specially in young men.

Prevalencia de los factores de riesgo para la ateroesclerosis coronaria en zonas urbanas de la Patagonia Argentina. Estudio multicéntrico. / [The prevalence of risk factors for coronary arteriosclerosis in the urban areas of the Argentine Patagonia. A multicenter study]

It is important to know the prevalence of risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in the urban south area of Argentina in order to implement the prevention of this disease. In 330 males and 322 females of Viedma and Cipolletti (Province of Rio Negro), and Comodoro Rivadavia (Province of Chubut), we determined total cholesterol (CT), triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol (CHDL), LDL cholesterol (CLDL), uric acid (AcU), systolic pressure (PS), diastolic pressure (PD), cigarette smokers (Cig), and body mass index (BMI). Laboratories were coordinated as to methodology and quality control. Between 30 and 50 years of age, the prevalence of risk factors was greater in males than females; 27.3

of males vs 16.0 of females had CT > or = 240 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 30.5

vs 19.7

, had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 10.3

vs 5.9

, had CHDL < 35 mg/dl, 8.9

vs 4.2

had PS > 145 mmHg, 9.0

vs 5.9

, had PD > 90 mm Hg, 33.6

vs 23.4

, had Cig > or = 10/d (p < 0.05), 26.0

vs 13.8

had TG > 170 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 30.5

vs 22.4

, had BMI > 27 Kg/m2 (p < 0.05) (Figs. 2-3). This difference between sexes was not significant over 50 years of age, when the prevalence of factors increased in both sexes. In Figure 4, 41.5

of males and 34.5

of females had one primary risk factor, 13.0

of males and 9.9

of females had two factors and 1.5

of males had three. The following main combinations of two primary risk factors was observed: between 30 and 50 years of age, 10.3

of males and 3.7

of females had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl and Cig > or = 10/d (p < 0.01); over 50 years, 19.5

of females and 11.8

of males had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl and PS > 145 mm Hg (NS). We suggest that operatives of education for the prevention of high cholesterol, no smoking and control of high blood pressure, are needed specially in young men.

Prevalencia de los factores de riesgo para la ateroesclerosis coronaria en zonas urbanas de la Patagonia Argentina. Estudio multicéntrico. / [The prevalence of risk factors for coronary arteriosclerosis in the urban areas of the Argentine Patagonia. A multicenter study]

It is important to know the prevalence of risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis in the urban south area of Argentina in order to implement the prevention of this disease. In 330 males and 322 females of Viedma and Cipolletti (Province of Rio Negro), and Comodoro Rivadavia (Province of Chubut), we determined total cholesterol (CT), triglycerides (TG), HDL cholesterol (CHDL), LDL cholesterol (CLDL), uric acid (AcU), systolic pressure (PS), diastolic pressure (PD), cigarette smokers (Cig), and body mass index (BMI). Laboratories were coordinated as to methodology and quality control. Between 30 and 50 years of age, the prevalence of risk factors was greater in males than females; 27.3

of males vs 16.0 of females had CT > or = 240 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 30.5

vs 19.7

, had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 10.3

vs 5.9

, had CHDL < 35 mg/dl, 8.9

vs 4.2

had PS > 145 mmHg, 9.0

vs 5.9

, had PD > 90 mm Hg, 33.6

vs 23.4

, had Cig > or = 10/d (p < 0.05), 26.0

vs 13.8

had TG > 170 mg/dl (p < 0.05), 30.5

vs 22.4

, had BMI > 27 Kg/m2 (p < 0.05) (Figs. 2-3). This difference between sexes was not significant over 50 years of age, when the prevalence of factors increased in both sexes. In Figure 4, 41.5

of males and 34.5

of females had one primary risk factor, 13.0

of males and 9.9

of females had two factors and 1.5

of males had three. The following main combinations of two primary risk factors was observed: between 30 and 50 years of age, 10.3

of males and 3.7

of females had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl and Cig > or = 10/d (p < 0.01); over 50 years, 19.5

of females and 11.8

of males had CLDL > or = 160 mg/dl and PS > 145 mm Hg (NS). We suggest that operatives of education for the prevention of high cholesterol, no smoking and control of high blood pressure, are needed specially in young men.