Synthetic musks in blood of healthy young adults: relationship to cosmetics use.

Production of polycyclic musk compounds is increasing accompanied by a decline in nitro musk production. Although it can be assumed that due to this reduction nitro musks are less prevalent in human body fluids, there are no data available from the last decade. This study examined the concentrations of five nitro musks and six polycyclic musks in blood samples from young healthy volunteers. Blood was taken from 100 healthy students of the Medical University of Vienna. The lipophilic fraction was extracted and after purification analyzed by GC-MS. Study participants also completed a questionnaire on the use of cosmetics, about nutrition and other life-style aspects. Highest percentages of synthetic musks in blood plasma samples were found for galaxolide (91%, median 420 ng L(-1)) and musk xylene (79%, median 11 ng L(-1)). Both musk ketone and tonalide were found in 17%. In two cases musk ambrette was detected. In a multivariate approach only younger age, use of lotion and perfumes did significantly predict blood concentrations of polycyclic musks. For nitro musks except body surface area no significant predictor could be found. High percentage of the population is still exposed to nitro musk compounds although blood concentrations of nitro musks are generally lower than those of polycyclic musks. Compared to earlier investigations performed in the 1990s nitro musks were detected in lower percentages and concentrations. There seems to be no dominant source of nitro musk uptake although relationship to body surface area indicates cosmetic products applied to the skin as the likely origin of plasma concentrations.

Blood concentrations of polycyclic musks in healthy young adults.

Knowledge on the concentration of polycyclic musk fragrance compounds in human blood is sparse. This study examined the concentrations of six polycyclic musks in blood samples from healthy volunteers. Blood was taken from hundred healthy students of the Medical University of Vienna. The lipophilic fraction was extracted and after purification analyzed by GC-MS. Study participants also completed a questionnaire on the use of cosmetics, about nutrition and other life-style aspects. Two compounds -- galaxolide and tonalide -- were identified in higher percentages of the blood plasma samples. Maximum plasma levels over 100 ng/l were also only found for galaxolide (4100 ng/l) and tonalide (800 ng/l). Women showed significantly higher levels than men. In a statistical multivariate approach only use of body lotion and age were predictive of positive galaxolide concentrations. For tonalide no significant predictor could be found. The findings mirror the replacement of nitro musk fragrances by polycyclic musks, mainly galaxolide. The high concentrations of galaxolide in human blood raise concern since few toxicological data are available.

[Prospective study of determining the value of D-dimer in diagnosing pulmonary embolism]. / Prospektive Untersuchung zur Erfassung der Wertigkeit von D-Dimer in der Pulmonalembolie-(PE)-Diagnostik.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is still misdiagnosed in a high proportion of cases. 107 patients admitted for suspected pulmonary embolism were studied prospectively to shed light on the value of ELISA-D-dimer and Latex-D-dimer. Pulmonary embolism was ruled out by negative perfusion scans in 66 patients (61.7%) and by angiography in 24 patients. 58% of the scans suggesting a high probability of PE were confirmed by angiography, but only 18% of the scans suggesting a low or intermediate probability of PE. Sensitivity and specificity were 88% and 79%, respectively for the D-dimer ELISA, versus 94% and 90% for the Latex agglutination test. The Latex test increased the positive predictive value of lung scanning suggesting low to intermediate probability of PE (group B) from 18% to 75% and that of lung scanning suggesting high probability of PE (group C) from 58% to 93%. The positive predictive value was improved by ELISA-D-dimer in both groups to 75%. In order to augment the diagnostic efficacy in clinical practice the determination of Latex-D-dimer simultaneously with lung scanning is recommended.

Comparison of adrenaline-induced hyper- and hypoglycaemia by histological and biochemical investigation.

Chronic treatment of rats by subcutaneously implanted A-depot capsules lead through a ca. 12 h hyperglycaemia to hypoglycaemia at 18 h p.o. SDH and G-6-Phase activities in the liver were compared during hyper- and hypoglycaemia using both histochemical and biochemical methods. The results show high triglyceride-contents, lack of glycogen and high G-6-Pase activities in the livers of animals during both hyper- and hypoglycaemia. Striking differences were found concerning SDH-activities: While biochemical measurements show enhanced activities during hyperglycaemia, hypoglycaemic values remain in the "normal" range. Nevertheless histochemical investigations show an amazing re-distribution of SDH-activities from the periportal areas towards the lobule centre. Therefore we think, that biochemical and histochemical methods should be combined to unveil such pseudonormalities. Further, this re-distribution shows the ability of the liver to cope with damage by shifting important processes away from fat-infiltrated areas.

Adrenal depletion during hypoglycemia without participation of the Golgi apparatus.

Adrenal depletion in rats due to hypoglycemia was effected by prolonged administration of adrenaline, without artificial increase in insulin levels. In spite of significantly enhanced catecholamine turnover in this stadium Golgi complexes - which are usually reported to develop hypertrophy during adrenal depletion using insulin induced hypoglycaemia - could never be observed. This leads to the conclusions, that firstly the presence of hypertrophic Golgi complexes is not necessarily linked with increased catecholamine turnover and secondly that permanent adrenalin application suppresses and insulin application promotes the formation of Golgi systems. Moreover, our electromicrographs do strongly suggest, that catecholamine turnover is linked with the rough endoplasmatic reticulum.

Inhibition of adrenalin depletion in hypoglycaemic rats following permanent adrenalin application by depot capsule.

Chronic treatment of rats with adrenalin by means of a subcutaneous depot capsule (cont. 40 mg dry adrenalin/HCl, Merck, ca. 10 mg ascorbic acid and ca. 0.4 ml 0.9% NaCl, and sealed with a dialysis membrane to provide constant adrenalin output) leads after a primary hyperglycaemic phase to hypoglycaemia. At the onset of hypoglycaemia the adrenalin contents of the suprarenal glands decrease to levels of about one third of their normal state. Simultaneous glucose infusions by intraperitoneal depot capsules prevent hypoglycaemia as well as adrenalin depletion. The fact that adrenalin depletion does not always correspond with blood sugar levels below 80 mg/dl and that this depletion could be prevented by glucose infusions altogether seems to provide a strong hint that the mentioned depletion is due to hypersecretion and not to the blocking of adrenalin synthesis. If is true, then there must be no direct negative feed-back system between adrenalin secretion and its extraglandular level.