Bilateral coronary ostial atresia in a patient with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect.

This is a case of a female infant with bilateral coronary ostial atresia associated with pulmonary atresia and ventricular septal defect. She developed coronary ischemia at 1-month of age, when she underwent an aortopulmonary shunt and an aorta-right ventricle shunt. The double-orifice tricuspid valve was separating the right ventricle from the left ventricle. She required extracorporeal cardiopulmonary support because of ventricular dysfunction and mitral regurgitation. Although she was temporarily weaned off the support after mitral valvuloplasty, she died from multiple organ failure. To the best of our knowledge, bilateral coronary ostial atresia associated with pulmonary atresia with ventricular septal defect has not been reported previously.

Identification of isomers and subsidiary colors in commercial Fast Green FCF (FD&C Green No. 3, Food Green No. 3) by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and comparison between amounts of the subsidiary colors by high-performance liquid chromatography and thin-layer chromatography-spectrophotometry.

The existence of five of the six expected isomers in commercial Fast Green FCF (G3: Food Green No. 3, FD&C Green No. 3, CAS No. 2353-45-9, C.I. No. 42053), the main product of which is m,m-G3 and the sub-products of which are presumed to be m,p-G3, o,m-G3, p,p-G3, o,p-G3 and o,o-G3, was confirmed using LC/MS, and the levels of the isomers, m,m-G3, m,p-G3, p,p-G3, o,m-G3 and o,p-G3, were determined by analytical HPLC. The existence of seven subsidiary colors that were decomposed from G3 was also confirmed using LC/MS. The levels of the subsidiary colors in ethanol extracts from TLC were determined by HPLC and spectrophotometry, and these results were compared. It was clear that the values determined by TLC-spectrophotometry were higher than those by HPLC. It was recommended that the levels of subsidiary colors in G3 should be determined by HPLC.

[Identification and determination of the isomer and subsidiary color in food blue no. 2 (indigo carmine) by LC/MS and HPLC].

CFR and JECFA specify that the total color in FD&C Blue No. 2 (B2; Indigo Carmine, Indigotine, Food Blue No. 2) is not less than 85%, its isomer (B2iso) in B2 is not more than 18%, and its subsidiary color (B2sub) in B2 is not more than 2% (CFR) or 1% (JECFA). Japan's Specifications and Standards for Food Additives, 7th Edition, specifies that the total color in B2 is not less than 85.0% and other color materials in B2 are not detected by paper chromatography. LC/MS and HPLC were employed to identify and determine the main component (B2m) of B2, B2iso, and B2sub. The pseudo molecular ions (B2m and B2iso: [M-2Na+H]-, m/z=421; B2sub: [M-Na]-, m/z=341) of each color material were obtained and identified by LC/MS based on their absorptions and mass spectra. The contents of B2iso and B2sub in B2 samples (certified samples from fiscal year 1998 to fiscal year 2002) were determined by HPLC using calibration curves for the standards of B2m and B2iso. The contents of B2iso in most samples were less than 10%, and the contents of B2sub in all samples were not more than 1%. All of them were within the regulatory limits set by the CFR and JECFA.

[Estimated production by the official inspection of tar colors (including aluminum lakes) in fiscal year 2003].

There were 197 official inspections of tar colors and their lakes in fiscal year 2003, the two of their samples were rejected, and the other were qualified. Total production amount of tar colors that passed inspection in Japan in fiscal year 2003 reached 147.9 tons. Tar color production amounts were described by month and by manufacturer. The food tar color produced in the largest amount was Food Yellow No. 4, accounting for 41.7% during this period.

[Simultaneous determination of N-methylcarbamates and their metabolites in citrus fruits by HPLC avoiding use of halogenic solvents].

Twenty-one N-methylcarbamates (NMCs) and 12 of their metabolites or isomers in citrus fruits were simultaneously determined avoiding use of dichloromethane. NMCs in lemon, orange, and grapefruit were extracted with acetone, then the acetone was evaporated off and sodium chloride was added before extraction with ethyl acetate. The extract was evaporated and the residue was cleaned up on a combined mini-column set of Supelclean ENVI-Carb and Mega Bond Elut SAX cartridges. NMCs were determined by HPLC with post-column reaction and fluorescence detection. All of the NMCs in the orange sample were determined without interfering peaks. However 8 NMCs in lemon extract and 10 NMCs in grapefruit extract were not detected because interfering peaks appeared at similar retention times to those of the NMCs. These NMCs were determined using LC/MS (SIM) and were well recovered. Eighty-three data sets obtained by HPLC and LC/MS showed good similarity, with r2 = 0.9178. Recoveries were 60.1 to 97.8% for major NMCs at a fortification level of 0.1 ppm. The limit of detection by HPLC was 0.005 ppm NMCs in samples and a similar level applied to LC/MS.

[Contents of plasticizers in cap-sealing for bottled food and their migration into food].

Plasticizers in cap-sealing for bottled foods were analyzed. Twenty-three domestic samples and 80 imported samples, a total of 103 samples, were tested. Among them, 93 contained chloride, and 62 contained di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP), diisodecyl phthalate, O-acetyl tributyl citrate, diacetyllauroyl glycerol, di(2-ethylhexyl) adipate, diisononyl phthalate or dicyclohexyl phthalate. Twelve samples with DEHP-containing caps were further tested for plasticizer levels in the foods. Higher DEHP was detected in oily and fluid food specimens. However, the intake of plasticizers calculated based on usual food consumption did not exceed the tolerable daily intake level in any of the cases. A food sample containing the highest level of DEHP was stored under various conditions, and DEHP that migrated from the cap-sealing into the food was determined. Shaking the bottles increased migration of DEHP into foods.