Metabolism of ibuprofen in higher plants: A model Arabidopsis thaliana cell suspension culture system.

The uptake and metabolism of ibuprofen (IBU) by plants at the cellular level was investigated using a suspension culture of A. thaliana. Almost all IBU added to the medium (200 µM) was metabolized or bound to insoluble structures in 5 days. More than 300 metabolites were determined by liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) analysis, and most of these are first reported for plants here. Although hydroxylated derivatives formed by oxidation on the isobutyl side chain were the main first-step products of IBU degradation, conjugates of these products with sugar, methyl and amino acid groups were the dominant metabolites in the culture. The main portion of total added IBU (81%) was accumulated in the extractable intracellular pool, whereas the cultivation medium fraction contained only 19%. The amount of the insoluble cell-wall-bound IBU was negligible (0.005% of total IBU).

[Incisional, stab and gunshot wounds of the abdomen and thorax]. / Rezná, bodná a strelná poranení bricha a hrudníku.

The authors give an account of the incidence and prognosis of the mentioned injuries treated during the past five years (1987-1991) at the surgical department of a district hospital in the centre of Prague. During the past two years a marked increase of these injuries was recorder. A total of 10 persons with abdominal injuries had ambulatory treatment and nine patients with injuries of the chest. During the same period 24 patients with abdominal injuries and 6 patients with chest injuries were hospitalized as well as four patients with combined abdominal and chest injuries. Nineteen ambulatory patients and 34 hospitalized patients during the five-year period are an ever increasing group of casualties who suffered injuries usually when drunk or due to violence.

Attitudes of rural and urban elderly concerning supplement use.

To examine supplement purchase practices and attitudes toward supplements of rural and urban elderly, two questionnaires were designed. One questionnaire included demographic questions, an attitude scale, and questions concerning supplements purchases and sources of information about nutrition. The second questionnaire contained an advertisement about calcium supplements followed by questions regarding means to "improve calcium" and health concerns. The rural elderly had a significantly lower mean education level and a significantly higher number of misconceptions. The average expenditures on supplements were $52.00 per month for the total group and sources of information were media, physicians, family and friends. In response to the advertisement, nearly one-third of the respondents reported that they would be unlikely to take calcium supplements to improve calcium even though 86.7% stated they would take calcium supplements to prevent health problems and 51.7% believed there could be dangers in taking calcium supplements. The most commonly reported means to improve calcium were to increase milk and to eat cheese (86.7% each). Contradictions in the responses may indicate that these elderly are susceptible to advertising implying supplements are needed to prevent health problems.