Rapid isolation with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges and wide-bore capillary gas chromatography of organophosphate pesticides

A simple and rapid method for isolation of eleven organophosphate pesticides with Sep-Pak C18 cartridges from human urine and plasma, is presented. The detection of the pesticides was made by wide-bore capillary gas chromatography (GC) with flame ionization detection. The pesticide-containing samples, after mixing with water, were directly applied to the cartridges and eluted with chloroform/isopropanol (9:1). The recoveries with use of the cartridges were excellent for most pesticides. Separation of each pesticide peak from each other and from impurities on the gas chromatograms was also satisfactory with use of non-polar and slightly polar capillary columns. The isolation method with use of the cartridges, together with the wide-bore capillary GC, seems very useful in forensic and environmental chemistry and clinical toxicology.     

Detection of orosomucoid 1 phenotypes in semen and semen stains

Orosomucoid 1 phenotypes were detected in seminal plasma by isoelectric focusing and immunoprinting. The orosomucoid 1 phenotypes in seminal plasma correlated with the types found in the corresponding serum specimens. Semen stains stored for ten days could be typed for orosomucoid 1. The present work revealed that orosomucoid 1 is a useful genetic marker for the medicolegal grouping of semen stains.     

Positive- and negative-ion mass spectrometry and rapid clean-up of 19 phenothiazines

Positive-ion electron impact (PIEI), positive-ion chemical ionization (PICI) and negative-ion chemical ionization (NICI) mass spectra of 19 phenothiazines are presented. In the PIEI mode, peaks due to M, M minus side chain (M - R1), M - R1 + H, and side chain itself (R1) appeared for most compounds. The M - R1 and R1 ions were very useful for drug screening. In the PICI mode, most spectra showed base or intense peaks due to M + H, and small peaks due to M + C2H5; peaks due to M - R1 + 2H and R1 also appeared in many compounds. In the NICI mode, fragmentation modes were different in different compound groups; molecular or [M - H]- quasi-molecular anions appeared in many compounds with aliphatic side chains. Anions at m/z 98 and 115 were characteristic for compounds with (N-methylpiperazinyl)propyl side chains. Selected ion monitoring in the PIEI mode generally gave much higher sensitivity than in the PICI and NICI modes. Phenothiazines present in urine or plasma could be rapidly isolated by use of Sep-Pak C18 cartridges. Thirteen of 19 phenothiazines could be detected by HP-17 wide-bore capillary gas chromatography with satisfactory separation from impurities in their underivatized forms.     

Immunohistochemical study of tyrosine phosphorylation signaling in the involuted thymus

Thymic involution has been reported to be an important parameter of the degree and duration of child abuse. In the present study, we assessed the status of tyrosine phosphorylation signaling, which is known to play a key role in the physiological function of the thymus, in involuted thymuses of abused children through immunohistological studies performed with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. We found that tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were present in high amounts in Hassall's corpuscles (HC) in the medulla of control thymuses. In involuted thymuses of abused children, expression of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins was reduced with accompanying morphological changes of HC, such as reduction in size or calcification. These findings lead us to the suggestion that tyrosine phosphorylation signaling is reduced in involuted thymuses of abused children and that reduction of the signaling may be associated with morphological changes of HC as observed in involuted thymuses of abused children. In order to certify the suggestion, we investigated expression of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in involuted thymuses of stressed rats as well as in control thymuses. Immunohistochemistry revealed that tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were expressed in control thymuses, more abundantly in the medulla, and reduced remarkably in involuted thymuses of stressed rats. Further, immunoblot analysis also showed that expression of phosphotyrosine-containing proteins was reduced in thymus extracts of involuted thymuses of stressed rats, thus supporting the suggestion. Our results also raise the possibility that components of tyrosine phosphorylation signaling could be a molecular marker for thymic involution.     

Situations of poisoning and analytical toxicology in Japan

Unprecedented poisoning terrorism by use of sarin took place in Japan in 1994 and 1995. On July 25, 1998, a curry poisoning incident in Wakayama occurred resulting in the death of four people and injury of 63 people. Since then, more than 30 imitative poisoning cases have been reported by mass communication within 1 year. In this brief review, we present some details of a series of poisoning cases and measures taken by the Japanese Government and non-government groups. In addition some research projects on analytical toxicology being conducted in our laboratories are also introduced; gas chromatography (GC) with cryogenic oven trapping for volatile organic compounds, and GC/surface ionization organic mass spectrometry for tertiary amino compounds are described especially as new techniques for biological samples.     

Serum tryptase levels in sudden infant death syndrome in forensic autopsy cases

An elevated serum tryptase concentration is considered to be a specific marker for systemic mast-cell activation, a central feature of anaphylaxis, which has been observed in some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, it is still unclear whether anaphylaxis is involved in the etiology for SIDS. In the present study, we measured serum tryptase levels in 21 infants with SIDS, and 14 control infants from forensic autopsy cases by Uni-CAP TRYPTASE Fluoroenzyme immunoassay system, which detects both alpha- and beta-tryptase. The assay did not show any significant elevation of tryptase levels in the SIDS group compared with controls. Additionally, increased concentrations of tryptase were not observed in any SIDS case. Our results indicated that anaphylaxis does not seem to be involved in the etiology of SIDS.     

Kawabata's views of language and the postwar construction of a literary genealogy

Abstract

This paper shows the ways in which, in the immediate post-war period (1945–1951), Kawabata Yasunari (1899–1972) reflected on his earlier, pre-war literary career and re-envisioned his postwar literary trajectory by constructing a new genealogy of the modern novel in Japan, in relationship to the intricate issues of the literary styles of the modern novel, ‘national language’ (kokugo), and the literary tradition. By examining his Shin bunshō tokuhon (New Guide to Literary Language, 1950), which presents Kawabata's past and present views of literary language, I will argue that Kawabata's changing views of language and literary style must be understood in the context of contemporary debates over national language policy and language reform movements. I will show the manner by which Kawabata formulated his views of language in dialogue with his two rival writers: Yokomitsu Riichi (1898–1947) in the prewar period and Tanizaki Junichirō (1886–1965) in the postwar period. As we shall see, the death of his close literary colleague Yokomitsu in 1947 and Tanizaki's unflagging literary exploration during and following the war prompted Kawabata to position himself in a genealogy of modern Japanese literary writers as well as in relationship to the linguistic and literary tradition of Japan.     

Parental Motivational Perseverance Predicts Adolescents’ Depressive Symptoms: An Intergenerational Analysis with Actor-Partner Interdependence Model

Journal of Youth and Adolescence - Adolescents’ depressive symptoms are affected by a number of factors including life stress, gender, socio-economic status, and parental depression symptoms....     

Goats or wolves? Private sector managers in the public sector

Public administration reforms have propagated the use of private sector management skills in the public sector, and an increased openness to managers with a private sector background. This has created a debate between those who think private sector experience improves public institutions by bringing core managerial values such as results orientation, efficiency, or openness to innovation, and those who argue that private sector experience can damage core public sector values, such as impartiality and equity. Despite the abundant anecdotal evidence, broad empirical evidence on the effects of private sector experience on public managers' values remains limited. Using data from a survey among central government top managers in 18 European countries, we show that public managers with private sector experience have, as expected, more core managerial values. Yet, unlike the conventional view, core public values do not suffer.