Comparative process analysis of fullerene production by the arc and the radio-frequency discharge methods.

In this work, comparative analysis of processes in carbon arc and radio frequency (RF) plasma during fullerene synthesis has been presented. The kinetic model of fullerene formation developed earlier has been verified in both types of plasma reactors. The fullerene yield depended on carbon concentration, velocity of plasma flame and rotational temperature of C2 radicals predominantly. When mean rotational temperature of C2 radicals was 3000 K, the fullerene yield was the highest regardless of the type of used reactor. The zone of fullerene formation is larger significantly in RF plasma reactor compared to arc reactor.

Decomposition of halogenated methanes in oxygen-free gas mixtures by the use of a silent electric discharge.

A silent electric discharge was applied to decompose halogenated methanes including CCl4, CHCl3, CFCl3, CF2Cl2 and CF3Cl, in argon-containing gas mixtures. The decompositions of the target compounds were studied in static reactors at a fixed electric field and room temperature. The reaction products were analyzed by FT-IR spectroscopy, gas chromatography and UV spectrophotometry. The results demonstrated, that the radical-type decomposition of chlorofluoromethanes led to products formed by realignment of the halogen atoms. The decomposition of CCl4 was faster than that of the cholorofluoromethanes, and produced perchloroethane and chlorine. CHCl3 exhibited the highest decomposition rate and produced a large variety of products.

Enhanced accumulation of pericardial fluid ferritin in patients with coronary artery disease.

BACKGROUND: Ferritin is a storage protein for iron that can either represent a source of iron or perform a cytoprotective action as an iron sequestrant. OBJECTIVE: To compare the concentrations of ferritin in pericardial fluid of patients with valvular heart disease, serving as controls, and in patients with coronary artery disease. DESIGN: We studied a total of 59 consecutive male patients undergoing elective heart valve replacement (group 1: n = 22, mean +/- SD age 55 +/- 11 years) or elective coronary artery bypass grafting (group 2: n = 37, mean +/- SD age 59 +/- 9 years). METHODS: Iron status indicators, total protein and albumin concentrations, and lactate dehydrogenase activities were determined in pericardial fluid and serum samples obtained from patients during surgery. RESULTS: Pericardial fluid concentrations of ferritin in both patient populations were significantly (P < 0.001) greater than the concentrations in sera: group 1, 375 (107-2030) micrograms/l compared with 146.5 (21-407) micrograms/l; group 2, 1115 (226-2500) micrograms/l compared with 152.0 (16-398) micrograms/l (median (range)), respectively. Moreover, pericardial fluid ferritin concentration was significantly (P < 0.01) greater in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting than in those undergoing heart valve replacement, whereas serum ferritin concentrations did not differ between the two patient populations. CONCLUSIONS: As pericardial fluid reflects the composition of the myocardial interstitium, we suggest that ferritin released can serve as a potential source of iron in the cardiac interstitium that may promote the generation of oxygen free radicals. Conversely, we presume that induction of ferritin synthesis, representing an important mechanism by which tissue adapts to hypoxic damage, can afford myocardial cytoprotection.

Lipid status in adolescents born with low birth weight.

The study compared anthropometric parameters and lipid status of adolescent boys and girls (14-16 y) born with LBW or ABW. Values for body weight and height of LBW adolescents were lower than those for ABW's. BMI differed significantly between LBW and ABW boys. In LBW boys, serum LDL-C level was somewhat lower, and the ApoA1 concentration was higher than in ABW's. Other lipid parameters did not differ among the corresponding groups. These data suggest that hypercholesterolemia, which is seen in LBW adults, must develop in older ages, and the irregular lifestyle including improper nutritional habits may promote its occurrence in this vulnerable group.

[Cardiovascular disease-related serum lipid parameters in a Hungarian subpopulation]. / A szív- és érrendszeri megbetegedésekkel összefüggö szérumlipid-paraméterek egy magyar szubpopulációban.

The blood samples of 229 volunteers (100 men, aged 35-59 y and 129 women, aged 35-54 y) were randomly selected and analysed for serum lipids (triglyceride, total, HDL- and LDL-cholesterol), apolipoproteins (apolipoprotein A1, A2 and B) and Lp(a). The mean serum level of triglyceride was in the high risk category in males (2.50 +/- 2.27 mmol/L) and in normal range in females (1.31 +/- 0.82 mmol/L). Concentrations of total cholesterol (male: 5.93 +/- 1.16, female: 5.66 +/- 0.99 mmol/L) and LDL-cholesterol (male: 3.72 +/- 0.94, female: 3.55 +/- 0.81 mmol/L) were in the borderline risk category, and up to the 75th percentiles both total cholesterol (male: > 6.71, female: > 6.25 mmol/L) and LDL-cholesterol (male: > 4.38, female: > 4.10 mmol/L) were in the high risk categories. The mean values of HDL-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A1, A2 and B were in the desirable range in both sexes, but apolipoprotein B in males and females (male: > 1.3, female: > 1.29 g/dl) were in the high risk category up to the 75th and 90th percentiles, respectively. The mean levels of serum Lp(a) were 19.5 +/- 25.0 and 21.0 +/- 25.2 mg/dl for men and women, respectively, and up to the 75th percentiles were in the high risk category (> 30 mg/dl) both in males and females.

Serum lipid pattern of adolescents in Hungary.

The authors have measured and compared the lipid parameters in groups of adolescents aged from 15 to 18 years with and without a history of myocardial infarction of parents. No essential differences were seen among the lipid variables of the two groups. Nonetheless in a considerable part of both girls and boys in either group serum total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol was higher than the "acceptable" values. The authors propose the initiation of an immediate intervention program in the population serving preventive purposes.

Subacute toxicological examination of Dithane M-45.

A subacute toxicological study of the effects of the ethylene-bisdithiocarbamate-containing fungicide Dithane M-45 (80% mancozeb) was carried out in male Wistar rats. The rats were given Dithane mixed in the feed at doses of 0, 10, 50, 75, 113, 169, 253 or 379 mg/kg body weight for 12 wk. One-third of the rats given 379 mg Dithane/kg body weight died, and doses of greater than or equal to 169 mg/kg decreased the growth of the rats as well as the nutrient utilization. The relative weights of the liver and thyroid were significantly increased in rats given greater than or equal to 75 mg Dithane/kg body weight, and those of the kidneys, adrenals and testes were significantly increased in the two highest dose groups. The serum cholesterol level was increased significantly in groups given greater than or equal to 75 mg/kg, and doses of 113, 169 or 253 mg/kg caused the elevation of the triglyceride content of the liver. The two highest doses of Dithane decreased the detoxicating capacity of the liver. The function of the thyroids was impaired even by very small doses of Dithane: at a dose of 10 mg/kg body weight the quantity of iodine stored in the thyroids was decreased by 20%. At doses of greater than or equal to 50 mg/kg statistically significant decreases in thyroid iodine content were observed. Histological examination of the thyroids showed dose-dependent hyperplasia in rats treated with Dithane.

Effect of interesterified fat mixtures on certain lipid indices in experimental fat metabolism disturbance.

Groups of adult Wistar male and female rats were fed isoenergetically for a three and a six weeks period either with synthetic lipogenic diet containing 5% and 20% fat mixtures (in which sunflower oil and lard were blended according to the ratio of 35:65) or with the same synthetic diet containing the mixture of sunflower oil and interesterified lard in a similar ratio. A control group received a normal diet for 6 weeks, whereas one of the experimental groups (fed with the 20% fat mixture in the lipogenic diet for 6 weeks) was given the normal diet for an additional two weeks period. After the feeding periods had been completed serum HDL-C levels and the total lipid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, free fatty acid levels were determined in serum and liver. The distribution of fatty acids in liver and heart muscle was also evaluated. In comparison to the control values it has been found: 1. Consumption of the lipogenic diet which is known to increase the serum total lipid and total cholesterol content induced in male rats a smaller augmentation in these indices when consuming the 20% fat mixture with a P/S ratio approaching the ideal 1 values, than in case of a 5% fat mixture consumption. In case of female rats, considerable increases of the serum values, could be observed at both fat consumption levels. The serum triglyceride and HDL-C contents decreased for all experimental groups. 2. The total lipid and triglyceride content of the liver increased in a high degree, the fatty liver syndrome was developed--more rapidly in males than in females. The total lipid, triglyceride and total cholesterol contents of the liver of male rats exceeded those of females by 15-30%. 3. The interesterification of the lard component of fat mixture resulted in lipid indices similar to those without interesterification, or in certain cases, they were found to be even slightly more favourable, i.e. the biological effect of the technological change proved to be adequate. 4. After a two weeks regeneration period the serum values of the male rats approached closer the normal control values than those of the females which were decreasing from a very high level but the degree of decrease was greater for them than for the male rats. The lipid content of the liver showed similar values.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Examination of the interaction of decis and dithane in rats.

Acute (LD50) and short-term (14 days) toxicological examinations were performed in animal experiments on the interaction of a synthetic pyrethroid Decis 2,5 EC (25 g deltamethrin/l) and of ethylene-bisdithiocarbamate/Dithane M-45 (80% mancozeb), using a 1:5 deltamethrin/mancozeb mixture. LD50 value of the mixture was similar to that of the more toxic Decis. In the short-term examination, some pathologically high AST and ALT values were observed in the treated groups and the deltamethrin content of fatty tissue samples increased parallel with the increase of Decis consumption. The chymotrypsin and lipase activities in the small intestinal mucosa and gamma-GT and LAP activities in the content of the bowels were reduced in several treated groups. The administration of Dithane in a dose in accordance with 20% of the LD50 value (3125 mg/kg b.m.) proved to be more toxic than expected and caused the death of the animals.

[Experimental 3-month study of safety of textured soybeans Becsei]. / Issledovanie bezopasnosti ispol'zovaniia Bechenskoi teksturirovannoi soi v trekhmesiachnom éksperimente.

The authors conducted a three-month safety test of a textured soy (TS) product manufactured by the Agricultural Plant, Boly. Young male and female rats received semisynthetic diets containing 8, 18 and 38% of TS protein or casein supplemented with methionine, as the only source of protein. The effect of the diet containing 18% of TS protein on the growth, on certain parameters of protein and fat metabolism and on the zinc and copper status corresponded to that produced by 18% of casein supplemented with methionine. When the content of TS protein was lower or higher than the optimal (18%), the development of rats fell behind the control ones receiving adequate amount of casein. High doses of TS protein produced a favourable effect on lipid metabolism in the liver, but its effect on zinc metabolism was unfavourable. No signs of toxic action of the TS product were recorded during the three-month safety test of TS.

Nutritional toxicological studies with Lannate: interactions with caffeine and ethanol.

Effects of the ingestion of Lannate (200 mg/kg diet), caffeine (30 mg% aqueous solution) and ethanol (10% aqueous solution) both separately as well as the ingestion of Lannate with caffeine or ethanol were studied in R/Amsterdam rats. Response to the combined administration of Lannate and caffeine produced evidence of interactions only in female rats. The combined ingestion of Lannate and ethanol resulted in some interactions both in female and male rats, however, sex differences were apparent regarding certain parameters.

Hepatic metabolism in ethanol-treated young rats.

Dams of a Wistar-derived OETI strain were offered a 15% aqueous ethanol solution as drinking-fluid immediately after delivery until weanling. Their offsprings also received the same drinking-fluid from weanling (Group A). Another group of rats received the 15% aqueous ethanol solution only after weanling (Group B). In response to ethanol treatment the retardation of growth was the most marked in Group A, but the growth of rats in Group B was also decreased significantly as compared to that of controls. Hepatic glycogen content was diminished in all of the ethanol-treated groups. Triglyceride content was increased in the livers of female rats in Group A. By comparing earlier results with the present findings the authors point to the importance of strain and sex in experiments when parameters for hepatic metabolism are studied in response to ethanol.