13C4-secobarbital as the internal standard for the quantitative determination of secobarbital--a critical evaluation

In this study, 13C4-secobarbital was used as an exemplar compound to illustrate the mechanism based on which the effectiveness of a proposed internal standard (IS) could be evaluated. A deuterated analog, 2H5-secobarbital, was also studied in parallel for comparison purposes. Well-established solid-phase extraction and methylation procedures were used prior to the GC/MS measurement step. The contribution of the intensity of an ion designated for the analyte (secobarbital) by the proposed IS, and similarly, the contribution of the intensity of an ion designated for the IS by the analyte--a phenomenon termed "cross-contribution"-were evaluated based on a "direct measurement" procedure in which equimolar amounts of the analyte and the IS were used to generate intensity data. These intensity data were then used as the basis for the calculation of "cross-contribution" (in percentages) of ions designated for the analyte and the IS. Cross-contribution data were compared with the linearity data resulting from two series of standards containing 25 to 9600 ng/mL secobarbital using two sets of quantitation ion pairs--m/z 196/200 and 195/199 with 13C4-secobarbital as the IS and m/z 196/201 and 195/200 with 2HS-secobarbital as the IS. 13C4-secobarbital was found to be much less problematic and thus can serve as a very effective IS. Cross-contribution data alone cannot fully explain the observed differences resulting from the use of these two ISs; further systematic study is needed to provide better understanding of the underlying interference mechanism.     

Characterization of allegedly musk-containing medicinal products in Taiwan

As a highly valued ingredient of Chinese medicinal remedies, musk is used as a detoxification agent and for treating fever, inflammation and swelling, and pain. Muscone (3-methylcyclopentadecanone-1), an odoriferous secretion from the ventral glands of male musk deer, is believed to be the active ingredient. A small amount of muscopyridine is also found in the secretion from the ventral glands of male musk deer. Common counterfeit ingredients are musk xylene, musk ambrette, musk ketone, and diphenhydramine. An extraction/GC-MS protocol/data evaluation scheme was developed and applied to study allegedly musk-containing Musk-Tiger Bone Plaster preparations and musk pods (or grains) from Chinese medicine stores and an airport customs. The content of muscone in a specific sample was estimated based on the percentage of the amount recovered from the first extraction. No muscone or counterfeit ingredients were found in all musk pod (or grain) samples from the customs and in the majority of Musk-Tiger Bone Plaster preparations, while muscone (alone or with counterfeit ingredients) was found in most of the musk pod (or grain) collected from Chinese medicine stores.     

领导、执政、行政——中国共产党执政能力问题中的三者关系探究

中国共产党既是革命党,又是执政党.作为革命党时为着联合执政,作为执政党时也为着继续革命,履行着领导执政的职能,而不是亲自从事具体的执政,更不是亲自从事具体的行政.要在坚持人民主权原则和共和政体的基础上,老老实实地执政,明明白白地执政,规规矩矩地执政,构建和谐社会.     

和谐社会的政治逻辑

和谐社会是一种能形成全体人民各尽其能、各得其所而又和谐相处的社会,是人类社会比较理想的社会状态.在当代中国,和谐社会主要是指政治、经济、文化等方面的和谐.构建和谐社会应以尊重社会主体的多样性、差异性和矛盾性为前提,激发并整合各种社会力量,以建立政治稳定、公平公正、人际关系和睦、充满生机和活力的社会为旨归.     

公务员薪酬状况研究述评

公务员薪酬制度是社会薪酬制度体系中一个不可分割却又相对特殊的重要组成部分。现行的公务员薪酬制度已稳定运行10余年,在推行公务员制度和保障社会稳定中发挥了应有的作用,但伴随着我国社会、政治和经济环境的巨大变化,现行的公务员薪酬制度在运行和管理中也逐步暴露与外部环境不相适应的结构性障碍。因此,考察公务员整体薪酬现实状况,并揭示其运行和管理中存在的问题,对于我国公务员薪酬制度改革具有重要的现实意义。     

从利益角度看我国地方政府间竞争

通过经济利益、政治利益、文化利益几个方面对我国地方政府间竞争现状的原因进行分析,可以建立利益约束机制、利益分享机制、利益补偿机制来实现协调地方政府间的利益关系,从而促进经济的健康稳定发展。     

Pharmacogenomics as an aspect of molecular autopsy for forensic pathology/toxicology: does genotyping CYP 2D6 serve as an adjunct for certifying methadone toxicity?

Pharmacogenomics, applied as an aspect of molecular autopsy, may be used as an adjunct for certifying methadone fatalities. Methadone is metabolized by cytochrome P-450 (CYP) 1A2, 3A4, and 2D6. We hypothesized that methadone toxicity may be partially due to CYP 2D6 *3, *4, and *5 variant alleles, resulting in poor drug metabolism. A retrospective analysis was performed on covariables and risk factors of 21 methadone cases from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office (1998-2000). PCR genotyping showed: one heterozygous for 2D6*3, two homozygous for 2D6*4, five heterozygous for 2D6*4, and one heterozygous for both 2D6*3 and *4. This limited number of cases showed that the prevalence of poor metabolizer was higher but not significantly different from that of a control group (n = 23) (P > 0.05, Fisher Exact Test). Thus, CYP 2D6 mutations may not yet be directly associated with methadone toxicity. However, pharmacogenomics, complementing other case findings, served as an adjunct in interpreting methadone toxicity of poor and intermediate metabolizers.     

On the pricing and benefit structure of a private club or public utility

In this study the structure-induced equilibrium approach for modeling democratic institutions is extended to allow for the added structural features of executive veto and legislative override. A multidimensional model is presented for a budgetary process involving three actors — a legislature, an appropriations committee, and an executive. In order to focus attention on the role of the veto and override possibilities, simplifying assumptions are made with regard to other aspects of the agenda formation process. In particular, the committee has monopoly agenda power, a closed amendment control rule is operative, and perfect-foresight expectations are held by the committee and the executive. Given these assumptions, utility maximization by the several actors generates a budget outcome characterized as a structure-induced equilibrium. The general model is illustrated geometrically with a two-dimensional example, permitting budget outcomes to be analyzed for various combinations of veto rules and override provisions. The analysis demonstrates that budget outcomes are sensitive to alternative specifications of veto rules and override provisions. In the illustration, executive veto power is shown to vary directly with both the permissiveness of the veto rule and the stringency of the override provision. Similar relationships, however, are not found to exist for total budget expenditures.     

基于区位竞争优势的产业竞争力:整合与升级

随着全球化和新经济的深入发展,以信息技术为核心的新技术革命加速了国际分工和世界产业结构的全方位变革,在发达国家推动建立全球生产体系的过程中,后发国家通常面临两难选择:融入这一趋势很可能成为发达国家获取低成本要素的基地,陷入“轴与轮”的困境;反之则可能被排斥在全球经济社会发展浪潮之外,进而被“边缘化”。破解这一难题的关键是提升后发国家的产业竞争力。传统理论对于提升产业竞争力的理论指导已力不从心,因此,需要结合特定的经济成长阶段,从区位竞争优势的视角进行深入研究产业竞争力的理论内核、外生变量和成长方式,在区住竞争优势升级中提升产业竞争力。     

对计算机语言教学方法的探讨

计算机语言教学在高等教育中具有重要意义。解决计算机语言教学的方法主要有三个方面 ,即调动学生学习的积极性 ;理论联系实际 ;用形象、通俗的语言解释抽象的名词术语、概念及规律。