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Background: As the prevalence of obesity climbs, dosing of antimicrobials, particularly cephalosporins, is becoming a greater challenge for clinicians. Data are lacking for appropriate dosing of cefepime, an anti-pseudomonal cephalosporin that is widely used as an empiric anti-pseudomonal agent. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the rate of clinical treatment failure in obese patients compared with nonobese patients receiving cefepime as definitive monotherapy. Methods: Adult inpatients treated with cefepime monotherapy for ≥72 hours were included. Patients were excluded if they (1) were not able to achieve culture clearance within 72 hours and (2) had polymicrobial infections requiring more than one antibiotic for definitive therapy. Results: Fifty-eight obese patients and 56 nonobese patients were included. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterobacter spp were the most prevalent organisms isolated. Most organisms had a minimum inhibitory concentration of ≤1 µg/mL to cefepime with no differences in minimum inhibitory concentration distributions between groups. Definitively, 60% of patients received cefepime 1 g, while almost 40% received cefepime 2 g. Clinical failure occurred in 52% of patients (67% obese vs 36% nonobese; P = .001), with study group (odds ratio = 1.057, 95% confidence interval = 1.008-1.109) and respiratory source (odds ratio = 3.251, 95% confidence interval = 1.378-7.667) being independent predictors of failure. There were no differences in hospital length of stay, all-cause mortality, or 30-day readmissions. Conclusions: Obese patients treated with cefepime are more likely to experience treatment failure than nonobese patients. Larger trials examining the reasons for clinical failure in obese patients treated with cefepime are needed to confirm the findings from this preliminary work.

The assisted reproduction industry involving sales and services for gametes and embryos for domestic animals of commercial value is a large market totaling millions of dollars annually. The objective of this study was to develop and test gamete and embryo packaging—Inteli-Straws (I-S) equipped with radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. Specifically, French straws (0.25 and 0.5 mL) were modified to include extreme cold-tolerant RFID microchips. Two groups of I-S were formed: Group (G)1: RFID chips that were autoclaved (n = 49), and G2: RFID chips that were not autoclaved (n = 47). Both groups had a control that was not exposed to liquid nitrogen (LN). Each group was exposed to LN up to 4 times: 2 slow freezes first and then 2 fast (i.e. vitrification) freezes, and I-S RFID chip survival was determined. I-S detection and readability (non-autoclaved) was also measured, placing I-S just above LN (in vapors, n = 43) or just below LN (n = 38). Statistical differences (α = 0.05) were determined using Fisher’s exact test. The results between G1 and G2 were not significantly different (P = 0.108) after 4 rounds of cryopreservation (and thawing). For G1, 98% (48/49) of the I-S RFID chips remained operational, and control and treatment were not significantly different (P = 1.000). For G2, 89.4% (42/47) of the autoclaved RFID chips remained operational, and control and treatment not significantly different (P = 0.099). RFID chip readability results; that is, the ability to detect the I-S versus not able to detect the I-S, comparing placement just above liquid nitrogen (LN) versus the placement just below LN were not significantly different (P = 0.105). Notably, detection differences varied within each group, with I-S in G1 (mean = 9.5; SD = 3.5 cm) readable at a larger distance, 5.2 cm farther than the mean of G2 (mean = 4.3; SD = 1.9 cm). During AI or embryo transfer (ET), a technician may not clearly identify the label or colour of straw, may incorrectly record the information, or may take more time than desirable to record it. Increased exposure times may lead to decreased viability of gametes and embryos. The results show that by using the I-S, one may quickly scan the straw within LN or LN vapors, thereby automatically detecting information and even uploading it to a database (e.g. scanner sophistication). We are not aware of comparable device to I-S for locating and retrieving associated information without removing the gamete/embryo packaging from LN or LN vapors; unlike traditionally labelled straws (e.g. laser etched or ink labels). Also, for AI and ET, the I-S can be quickly scanned and the straw information automatically detected and uploaded to a database.

The mechanisms of the coupling between ATP hydrolysis and proton transport catalyzed by the ATPases of the tonoplast and plasma membrane of maize (Lea mays L.) roots were investigated. Proton transport by the tonoplast ATPase was found to be much more sensitive to nitrate than ATP hydrolysis, being inhibited by 80% with almost no effect on hydrolysis at 5 mM NO3. Mercury was also found to be a potent inhibitor of this enzyme, inhibiting transport and hydrolysis by 50% at 60 and 100 μM, respectively. The same type of pattern was seen with other divalent cations. Millimolar concentrations of Cd2+, Co2+, Cu2+, and Zn2+ in the presence of Mg2+ inhibited proton transport significantly more than hydrolysis whereas Ba2+ and Ca2+ had little effect. Both free and ATP‐complexed species of these inhibitory cations appeared to be effective. When the influence of temperature was investigated, both the tonoplast and plasma membrane enzymes showed a similar pattern. ATP hydrolysis by both enzymes generally obey...

Several potentially bis(alkylating) bis(quinones) (3-5) and 1,4- and 1,3-bis(alkylating) monoquinones (6-13) belonging to general structure 2,2'-ethylenebis[5-[(leaving group)methyl]-1,4-benzoquinone] (3-5) and 2,5- and 2,6-bis[(leaving group)methyl]-1,4-benzoquinone water-soluble and -insoluble classes were prepared by oxidative demethylation of the corresponding tetramethoxydiphenylethanes (17-19) and dimethoxybenzenes (24, 27, 36-39), respectively. Methods employed for the preparation of tetramethoxydiphenylethane intermediates involved (1) arylmethyl bromide coupling and (2) catalytic hydrogenation of stilbene intermediates derived via Wittig reaction of (arylmethyl)phosphonium salts with aryl aldehydes. However, in biological investigations using a subcutaneous B16 (hypoxic) melanoma tumor in BDF1 hybrid mice with cyclophosphamide as positive control the most interesting series of structurally related analogues were the potentially monoalkylating monoquinones of the 2-[(leaving group)methyl]-1,4-benzoquinone type (i.e., 14 and 15) having water-insoluble (acetoxy) and water-solubilizing (succinate) groups. Serial measurements of tumor size, and evaluation of increased life span, in response to drug treatment also revealed potentially 1,4-bis(alkylating) (bromomethyl)-1,4-quinone 7 and 1,3-bis(alkylating) (hydroxymethyl)-1,4-quinone 10 to have variable activity, but none of the potentially bis(alkylating) bis(quinones) showed antitumor properties in this model.

Several potentially bis(alkylating) bis(quinones) (3-5) and 1,4- and 1,3-bis(alkylating) monoquinones (6-13) belonging to general structure 2,2'-ethylenebis[5-[(leaving group)methyl]-1,4-benzoquinone] (3-5) and 2,5- and 2,6-bis[(leaving group)methyl]-1,4-benzoquinone water-soluble and -insoluble classes were prepared by oxidative demethylation of the corresponding tetramethoxydiphenylethanes (17-19) and dimethoxybenzenes (24, 27, 36-39), respectively. Methods employed for the preparation of tetramethoxydiphenylethane intermediates involved (1) arylmethyl bromide coupling and (2) catalytic hydrogenation of stilbene intermediates derived via Wittig reaction of (arylmethyl)phosphonium salts with aryl aldehydes. However, in biological investigations using a subcutaneous B16 (hypoxic) melanoma tumor in BDF1 hybrid mice with cyclophosphamide as positive control the most interesting series of structurally related analogues were the potentially monoalkylating monoquinones of the 2-[(leaving group)methyl]-1,4-benzoquinone type (i.e., 14 and 15) having water-insoluble (acetoxy) and water-solubilizing (succinate) groups. Serial measurements of tumor size, and evaluation of increased life span, in response to drug treatment also revealed potentially 1,4-bis(alkylating) (bromomethyl)-1,4-quinone 7 and 1,3-bis(alkylating) (hydroxymethyl)-1,4-quinone 10 to have variable activity, but none of the potentially bis(alkylating) bis(quinones) showed antitumor properties in this model.