First intermolecular cyclopropanation of Fischer dialkylaminocarbene complexes. Synthesis of 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives.

[reaction: see text] The first cyclopropanation reaction of olefins with Fischer dialkylaminocarbene complexes is presented. The reaction yields 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid derivatives in a single step, usually with high diastereoselectivity. An approach to the asymmetric version of this reaction is also presented. The synthetic utility of the procedure is exemplified by the synthesis of both cycles of metanoproline in a single step. In addition, the synthesis of the first Fischer carbene containing a halocarbonyl group is reported.

Anti-transglutaminase IgA ELISA: clinical potential and drawbacks in celiac disease diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Since the identification of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) as the antigen for the anti-endomysial antibodies (EMA), several antigen-specific immunoassays have been reported for celiac disease (CD) screening. A first objective was to evaluate the suitability for CD screening of three different IgA tTG ELISAs, two of them based on guinea pig liver tTG (gp-tTG) (an in-house ELISA with a partially purified extract and a commercial ELISA with purified gp-tTG antigen) and a third recombinant human tTG (rh-tTG) ELISA. The results are compared with EMA and with the final clinical diagnosis. A second objective was to analyze antibody reactivities in those patients with anti-tTG and EMA discrepancies. METHODS: ELISA and EMA tests were used to measure IgA anti-tTG levels in sera from 259 patients (107 had CD and 72 had Type I diabetes mellitus). RESULTS: The purified gp-tTG ELISA was highly sensitive (97.7%) and specific (98.8%) in the detection of CD, almost equaling EMA. Rh-tTG ELISA did not improved the sensitivity of EMA, but its specificity was slightly superior. Immunoblot analysis with partially purified gp-tTG extract, the antigen most frequently used for anti-tTG detection, showed that the majority of false positives were due to IgA reactivities to contaminant proteins present in the liver antigenic extract. This low specificity was particularly problematic in diabetics. CONCLUSION: Purified tTG ELISAs, either with purified guinea pig liver or recombinant human antigens, can be used as quantitative and observer-independent alternatives to the traditional and time-consuming EMA in the screening of CD.

[Consumption of psychotropic drugs by the aged]. / Consumo de fármacos psicotrópicos en los ancianos.

BACKGROUND: The medical prescription increase for psychotropic drugs, and particularly by elderly, are the facts that have motivated this study: 1) elderly psychotropic consumption assessment, 2) identify risk factors consumption. METHODS: Descriptive and cross-sectional survey from individual questionnaires. RESULTS: The prevalence for psychotropic drugs was 24% in our sample, (72.1% women). 53.3% prescription were realized by family practitioners. 54.3% patients used them for more than three years. The biggest group consumed are the long term benzodiazepines (62.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The high prevalence, the long time of consumption, the use of long-term benzodiazepines, and the fact of that family practitioners are the main prescribers, must make us think about the pertinence and accuracy of these medical prescriptions.