HUM5007, a novel combination of thermogenic compounds, and 3-acetyl-7-oxo-dehydroepiandrosterone: each increases the resting metabolic rate of overweight adults
This study tested the hypothesis that 3-acetyl-7-oxodehydroepiandrosterone alone (7-Keto) and in combination with calcium citrate, green tea extract, ascorbic acid, chromium nicotinate and cholecalciferol (HUM5007) will increase the resting metabolic rate (RMR) of overweight subjects maintained on a calorie-restricted diet. In this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial, overweight adults on a calorie-restricted diet were randomized to three 7-day treatment periods with 7-Keto, HUM5007 or placebo. Resting metabolic rate was measured by indirect calorimetry at the beginning and end of each treatment period with a 7-day washout between testing periods. Of 45 subjects enrolled, 40 completed the study (30 women, 10 men; mean age, 38.5 years; mean basal mass index, 32.0 kg/m(2)). During the placebo treatment, RMR decreased by 3.9% (75+/-111 kcal/day; mean+/-S.D.); however, RMR increased significantly by 1.4% (21+/-115 kcal/day) and 3.4% (59+/-118 kcal/day) during the 7-Keto and HUM5007 treatment periods, respectively (each compared to placebo, P=.001). No significant differences were found between the treatment periods with respect to compliance or adverse events. In this study, the administration of HUM5007 or 7-Keto reversed the decrease in RMR normally associated with dieting. HUM5007 and 7-Keto increased RMR above basal levels and may benefit obese individuals with impaired energy expenditure. HUM5007 and 7-Keto were generally well tolerated and no serious adverse events were reported.
Sumitomo Bakelite Begins Production of Phenolic Molding Compounds for Disc Brake Caliper Pistons
Tokyo, Japan, Feb 2, 2007 - (JCN) - Sumitomo Bakelite announced February 1 the production start of Phenolic molding compounds for disc brake caliper pistons at its Sumitomo Bakelite (Suzhou) location in China.
Phenolic molding compounds developed by the Sumitomo Bakelite Group have great advantages such as superior heat insulation, high mechanical strength, weight reduction, and corrosion resistance with an overall price performance.
The Sumitomo Bakelite Group, who originated the Phenolic disc brake caliper piston applications, has been making Phenolic molding compounds for disc brake caliper pistons since the early 1970s and has the largest market share in the world.
The start of production of Phenolic molding compounds for disc brake caliper pistons in Suzhou addresses to our customer’s local supply needs for the automotive market in China.
Use of GHB compounds among college students
Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) is a naturally occurring small chain fatty acid (1) that has been described as a possible neurotransmitter (2-4). Since about 1990, GHB has been abused on the street; names include “Liquid Ecstasy,” “Soap,” “Easy Lay,” and “Georgia Home Boy.” GHB and its precursors, gamma butyrolactone and 1,4 butanediol, have been involved in poisonings, overdoses, date rapes, and deaths (5, 6). GHB emergency room visits increased from 55 in 1994 to 2.973 in 1999 (7, 8). In 1999, GHB accounted for 32% of illicit drug-related poison center calls in Boston (7, 9). These products, obtainable over the Internet and sometimes still sold in health food stores, are also available at some gyms, raves, nightclubs, college campuses, and are particularly popular among gay men. The products are commonly mixed with alcohol, have a short duration of action, and are not easily detectable on routine hospital toxicology screens (7).
GHB is a popular recreational drug used by young adults (10-12). It appears to have a high abuse potential because it produces euphoria, hallucinogenic effects, relaxation, tolerance, and severe withdrawal symptoms (14, 15). In the United States, GHB compounds have been marketed illicitly to body builders as a growth hormone stimulant to build muscular mass. They have also been promoted as a replacement for L-tryptophan to improve sleep (16, 17). Two GHB precursors, gamma-butyrolactone and 1,4 butenadiol also have been marketed to improve athletic performance, enhance sexual activity, and release growth hormone (18). Dietary supplements containing these precursors are widely available through the Internet under different names such as Serenity, Growth Hormone Release Extract (GHRE), Thunder Nectar, and Revitalize Plus among others (19, 20). This article describes the pattern of use and knowledge about GHB compounds among college students, who are frequently the “cutting edge” of new patterns of drug abuse.
METHODS
A survey was distributed in the student health clinic of a large university from July 2002 until January 2003. Anonymous surveys were placed for distribution at patient registration areas. Students were asked to complete only one questionnaire, even if they made multiple visits to the student health clinic during the period of study. Students who answered the survey placed them in a secured box. The investigators collected the surveys from the boxes on a weekly basis. During that period, a total of 18,744 students attended the clinic; 37% were male and 63% were female. Their age distribution was as follows: 13,339 patients between ages of ages 18-25, 4,812 patients between ages of 26-35, and 988 patients older than 35.
The participants were asked about the use of the following compounds: Serenity, Revitalize-Plus. Growth Hormone Release Extract (GHRE), Somato-Pro, Enliven, NRG-3, Thunder Nectar, White Belt Cleaner, GBL, Butenadiol, and GHB. They were also asked about their amount of use over the last 6 months, as well as their knowledge of GHB compounds’ addictive potential, GHB legal status, and effects experienced when using any of these compounds. The study was approved by the University of California, San Diego Human Subjects Protection Program.
RESULTS
A total of 215 students answered the survey. The mean age of the participants was 22.8 (S.D. 3.5) years and their average level of education was 16.5 (S.D. 2.5) years. Among the respondents, 90 were male (41.9%) and 125 (58.1%) were female. There was no difference between men and women in terms of age or years of education. The participants described their sexual orientation as follows: 163 (75.8%) heterosexual, 32 (14.9%) homosexual, l0 (4.7%) bisexual; 10 students (4.7%) did not indicate their sexual orientation. Respondents were asked if they recognized the previously mentioned GHB-related compounds. The most commonly recognized compound was GHB (53%), followed by GHRE (46%). The most commonly used compounds were GHRE (28.8%) and GHB (19%). GHRE users reported consumption 23 times per month, while GHB users reported use 1-2 times per month.
The respondents reported frequent effects from using GHB-compounds, including euphoria (n = 41), increased energy (n = 51), weight loss (n = 59), and dizziness (n = 13). Other reported effects were irritability (n = 3), a decreased need for sleep (n = 3), and social problems associated with the use of GHB (n = 1).
Regarding the use of GHRE, there was a significant difference between males and females (chi square] = 49.0 df = 1 p<0.001). A total of 59 women reported using GHRE, compared to only 3 men. Fifty-seven of the GHRE users reported their sexual orientation as heterosexual, 3 as bisexual, and 2 as homosexual. Ninety-six percent of GHRE users (57/62) reported weight loss as an effect–and among the 59 women, 55 reported weight loss as a reason for using GHRE.
Consistent with previous reports (21), GHB tended to be used preferentially by gay and bisexual individuals ([chi square] = 7.2 df= 1 p = 0.07). Eighty-eight percent of GHB users (36/41) reported euphoria as a common effect from the compound. Only 2 GHB users reported weight loss. Twenty-three men and 2 women reported increased energy associated with the use of GHB. Increased energy was reported more often by gay/bisexual participants than heterosexuals ([chi square] = 79.9 df = 3 p < 0.01). Figure 1B summarizes these results.
Participants answered questions about their general knowledge of GHB-compounds. Among the 215 participants, 43 thought GHB was addictive, 18 thought that Serenity was addictive, and 11 thought that Thunder-Nectar was addictive. Only 40 of the 215 participants knew that GHB was illegal and only 6 knew that GHB has addictive potential.
DISCUSSION
College students frequently experiment with addictive substances (22). Our results showed that college students are using GHB compounds for a variety of reasons. Interestingly, the reported effects varied according to gender and sexual orientation. Female participants reported ease in losing weight and increased energy when using GHRE. On the other hand, homosexual participants reported increased euphoria but not weight loss when using GHB.
GHB is a known substance of abuse and continues to pose serious risks for users (23). Our data show that college students have limited knowledge about the wide variety of GHB compounds and their illegal and addictive nature. Future studies are needed to specifically address the possible misuse of GHB among a representative sample of college students.
Our preliminary study has several limitations. The sample of participants is small considering the number of people who attended the clinic during the period of the study, although the gender and age demographics of the sample reflect that of the clinic. Distribution of the survey was limited to the student health clinic, and as the clinic saw approximately 35% of the student body during the time of the survey, this sample would not appear too nonrepresentative of the population as a whole. The same patient may have responded to more than one survey, although participants were requested to complete the form only once. There may have been selection bias by respondents who completed the survey. Based on our results, it is important to conduct larger epidemiological studies to clarify the patterns of use of GHB and its compounds on college campuses.
Clinicians and health workers should educate patients about this new compound as it appears that the general knowledge about GHB is quite limited. It will be important to foster open communication and continued education on college campuses to prevent serious consequences associated with the misuse of GHB. Given the different reasons that different groups use these drugs, targeted education programs may be more appropriate than blanket ones.
Single-Pellet Compounds deliver enhanced effects
LNP(TM) Verton(TM) Xtreme compounds - XC (extreme color), XFR (extreme flame retardance), and XW (extreme weatherability) - promote batch-to-batch consistency and help achieve optimal mechanical properties of long-glass-fiber reinforcement. Resistant to impact failure, compounds can be processed using standard and gas-assist injection molding, structural foam molding, and injection-compression molding. They can also be extruded into profiles.
EXTON, Penn. - June 6, 2007 - GE Plastics today introduced a new product platform that helps solve the drawbacks of dry-blending colorants, flame retardants, additives, and other effects in long-glass-fiber compounds. GE’s LNP* Verton* Xtreme compound portfolio has broken new ground with one-pellet solutions for enhanced color, flame retardance (FR), and weatherability. This patent-pending technology improves batch-to-batch consistency and within individual parts by eliminating the need to blend two pellet types, which can lead to separation, settling, and other quality issues. LNP Verton Xtreme compound grades - XC for extreme color, XFR for extreme flame retardance, and XW for extreme weatherability - enable customers to achieve the excellent mechanical properties of long-glass-fiber reinforcement while boosting quality and consistency that can reduce overall system costs.
Jamie Tebay, structural product manager for GE Plastics, LNP, said, “GE Plastics has invested millions of dollars - including new extruders, equipment, and specific strand designs - to develop and commercialize the new LNP Verton Xtreme compound platform. This significant commitment demonstrates our dedication to the industry. GE Plastics’ value-added services, expertise, and next-generation products, allow us to meet the most stringent customer requirements for improved quality and consistency, exceptional performance, and system efficiencies.”
To help customers develop applications using LNP Verton Xtreme compounds, GE Plastics’ Center of Excellence for Verton Compound Technology in Columbus, Ind. provides a staff of product technologists, engineers, and other experts, as well as a wide array of processing equipment. The 7,000-sq.-ft. center features two development lines and a 170-ton injection molding machine. GE Plastics plans to manufacture the new materials in the Pacific and Latin America, as well as in Columbus where they are currently produced.
GE Plastics’ customers are already achieving the benefits of enhanced effects and consistency with the new product line. For example, Steelcase Inc. is evaluating injection-molded LNP Verton XC compound to produce the seat back frame of its award-winning Leap[R] office chair. By replacing a two-pellet solution with LNP Verton Xtreme compound, Steelcase has seen an improvement in surface finish and color consistency. With the rich and consistent color of GE’s LNP Verton XC compound, Steelcase expects to improve overall aesthetics while reducing system costs.
GE’s LNP Verton XC compound is currently available in nylon base resins, while LNP Verton XFR compound is available in polycarbonate/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PC/ABS) resins. The third grade, LNP Verton XW compound, is based on GE’s Geloy* resin, an advanced amorphous terpolymer of acrylic-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) resin. It will be available in Q3 2007. This product delivers exceptional resistance to UV light and weathering, and is an excellent candidate material for truck and agricultural equipment components.
All three new LNP Verton Xtreme compounds combine rigidity with outstanding strength and resistance to impact failure in a wide array of applications. The new products also deliver an excellent balance between cost and performance in structural applications. These compounds can be processed using standard and gas-assist injection molding, structural foam molding, and injection-compression molding, and can be extruded into profiles.
Future plans for the platform include one-pellet solutions that offer enhanced lubrication for parts such as gears and washers, and enhanced conductivity for powder-coated parts.
For more information on GE’s LNP Verton compound portfolio, please visit the GE Plastics’ website at www.geplastics.com.
About GE Plastics
GE Plastics (www.geplastics.com) is a global supplier of plastic resins widely used in automotive, healthcare, consumer electronics, transportation, performance packaging, building & construction, telecommunications, and optical media applications. The company manufactures and compounds polycarbonate, ABS, SAN, ASA, PPE, PC/ABS, PBT and PEI resins, as well as the LNP* line of high-performance specialty compounds. GE Plastics, Specialty Film & Sheet manufactures high-performance Lexan* sheet and film products used in thousands of demanding applications worldwide. In addition, GE Plastics’ dedicated Automotive organization is an experienced, world-wide competitor, offering leading plastics solutions for five key automotive segments: body panels and glazing; under the hood applications; component; structures and interiors; and lighting. As a Worldwide Partner of the Olympic Games, GE is the exclusive provider of a wide range of innovative products and services that are integral to a successful Games.
Symptoms of mothers and infants related to total volatile organic compounds in household products
VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCs) are a diverse group of relatively low-molecular-weight compounds with lower- and upper-limit boiling points of 50-100 [degrees]C and 240-260 [degrees]C, respectively. These solvents are all liquids at room temperature and are strongly lipophilic. VOC concentrations in indoor air are dependent on their sources (i.e., from combustion processes or from synthetic organic compounds used in buildings, furnishings, and household products where they may be released in low concentrations as active ingredients or contaminants). Common household products that contain VOCs include air fresheners, deodorizers, insect sprays, cleaners, polishes (1) (e.g., furniture polish, floor polish), and personal care products such as hairspray. Decreased ventilation in energy-efficient homes may increase VOC concentrations, whereas sink effects may contribute to their reduction. (2) Simulation of indoor insecticide application has shown indoor levels to be within the range expected to produce health complaints.
Health symptoms attributed to VOCs include a panoply of responses (e.g., unwanted sensory effects such as unpleasant smells and sensory irritation, mucosal irritation resulting from toxic effects that interfere with the normal functioning of organs or tissues, and genotoxic effects). Researchers have investigated these health symptoms in different samples and populations; objectives have varied and methods have differed. (4) The effects of VOCs may not be immediate and acute, but may occur following cumulative doses. Odor sensation may lead to secondary outcomes (e.g., vomiting, altered respiratory response). Symptoms of indoor exposure to VOCs are often similar to those reported by individuals with Sick Building Syndrome. (5) In studies of the latter, investigators typically have found VOC levels to be below threshold limit values established for occupational settings. (6-8) Occupational standards–set at levels 10-1,000 times lower than the expected no-effect levels in humans–may be inappropriate for household environments, in which the exposure period may be more protracted than in the work setting. The home environment may contain an unknown mixture of chemicals that can interact synergistically at various air temperatures and humidity levels to exacerbate health effects from exposure to a single compound. (9-11) Health effects may result from levels lower than would be expected from exposure to a single compound; concentration gradients, rather than total concentrations, may potentially affect health adversely.
Non-occupational exposure limits are relevant for vulnerable infants, the elderly (> 65 yr of age) and ill individuals who spend most of their time indoors. These populations may spend their greatest number of indoor hours in the bedroom, where there is little air exchange. Pregnant women and their infants [less than or equal to] 6 mo of age spend 77% and 81%, respectively, of their time in their home. (12) The pregnant woman and her fetus may be highly vulnerable in that a rise in plasma lipids during pregnancy may enhance the solubility of inhaled lipophilic substances, such as organic solvents. (13-16)
Method
The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC) is a population-based study of children born to women who resided in Avon (United Kingdom) during their pregnancy and who had an expected delivery date between April 1, 1991, and December 31, 1992. (17) There were 14,541 pregnant women enrolled in this study, and a cohort of 13,971 of their children was still being followed at age 12 mo. The goal of the ALSPAC is to evaluate environmental, genetic, and social factors that can influence the health of infants and their mothers. Information was collected from mothers through self-report questionnaires at different times during their pregnancy, as well as after the infant’s birth, to ascertain family and household characteristics, parental occupations, and other socioeconomic factors. The purpose of this study within the ALSPAC was (a) to determine indoor levels of VOCs relative to the use of specific household products and (b) to identify households in which total VOC (TVOC) levels were high. Investigation of the entire cohort of children and their parents further identified common health effects at different points of data collection.
The Department of the Environment (U.K.) commissioned Building Research Establishment Ltd (BRE [Watford, U.K.]) to monitor the levels of VOCs within 170 homes randomly selected from the total ALSPAC cohort. Monitoring began in November 1990, and approximately 10 new homes/mo were enrolled during the study period. (11) The home of each pregnant woman was monitored from approximately 6 mo gestation to 6 mo following birth. (12) The 1st birth in the cohort was in April 1991. VOCs were monitored with TENAX[TM] tubes (TENAX Corp. [United Kingdom]), which were exposed for more than 1 mo for each of the 12 mo of sampling in the main bedroom and living room of each home in the study. The returned sampling tubes were stored in 3plastic bags at room temperature and were analyzed within 4 wk of collection of the tubes. Sampling tubes exposed for fewer than 21 days or for more than 42 days were rejected. For each batch of 10 tubes, 3 were retained at room temperature as blanks–without removal of their caps. (11,18) Following thermal desorption, chemical analysis of the sampler tubes was achieved with gas chromatography, which measured VOCs and specific compounds, including those commonly found in indoor air (i.e., benzene, toluene, m-xylene, o-xylene, decane, 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene, and undecane). We used toluene levels to calculate the TVOC concentration (i.e., a summation of individual compounds [mainly [C.sub.6]-[C.sub.17] compounds]). (19)
We asked subjects to complete a questionnaire that had questions about the frequency of use of 9 common household products that contain high proportions of VOCs. A total of 13,164 women completed the 1st questionnaire when they were 8 wk pregnant. Of these women, 10,976 completed a 2nd questionnaire 8 mo after birth, and 10,119 completed a 3rd questionnaire when their child was 21 mo of age. We assumed that information about household product use during early pregnancy reflected routine use of these products–rather than later uses which might include cleaning that occurred because the infant was now a member of the household (e.g., use of products to ensure special cleanliness in the infant’s environment). The types of household products examined were window cleaners, carpet cleaners, dry-cleaning fluids, turpentine or white spirit, paint stripper, house paints or varnishes, pesticides, other aerosols or sprays, and air fresheners. The categories of use were (a) never or less than once per week, (b) once per week, and (c) daily on most days.
Infant symptoms and health problems since birth (i.e., diarrhea, vomiting, cough or cold, high temperatures, earache, wheezing, breathlessness, rashes, and hospital admissions) were gleaned from the mother via a structured questionnaire at 8 mo postpartum. Respondents were also asked to report their own symptoms (e.g., anxiety, headache/migraine headache, cough or cold, influenza, wheezing, eczema, urinary tract infection, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea). Depression (during the week prior to completing the questionnaire) was also assessed with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Score (EPDS)–a 10-item scale for which scores of 13 or more are strongly predictive of clinical depression. (20) Women who scored a standard depression screening measurement (21) greater than 9 were defined as depressed for the purposes of this study.
Statistical analyses. Mean TVOC levels were calculated on the basis of the monthly values from the living rooms and main bedrooms of the homes monitored in the BRE indoor air study (N = 170). Households with less than 5 TVOC readings for the year were excluded from the analysis. TVOC levels were dichotomized into 2 percentiles: < 75th percentile and [greater than or equal to] 75th percentile. Use of each of the 9 household products during early pregnancy was dichotomized to < 1/wk and [greater than or equal to] 1/wk. We used Pearson’s chi-square and Fisher’s Exact test (crosstabs) to evaluate the relationships between VOC levels in the homes and product use during early pregnancy. We then used products that were statistically significantly associated with higher TVOC levels in the analysis of the entire cohort to determine if use of these products was associated with reporting of symptoms for infants or mothers.
For the total cohort, we applied logistic-regression analysis to obtain adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for each symptom with use of a specific product for different frequencies of use, to determine if the odds of experiencing a symptom increased as use of the product increased. Adjustments were made for education, mother’s age, housing tenure, number of children in the home, number of smokers in the home, paid job subsequent to birth of the child, dampness or condensation in the home, mold in the home, type of winter heating fuel, and month the questionnaire was completed. The first 6 variables controlled for socioeconomic status; the latter 4 controlled for seasonal ventilation differences that might have influenced the build-up of VOCs.
In this study, we found that the use of air fresheners and aerosols was significantly associated with certain symptoms in mothers and their infants. Both products were also associated with increased levels of VOCs in the home. We examined symptoms associated with the use of either or both products, rather than with individual VOC exposures, thereby reducing to some degree the problem of multiple comparisons. If use of a specific product was associated with the same symptom across time periods or across populations, the findings would lend credibility to the existence of a causal association between use of that product and the symptom. Causal effects were also likely to occur if similar associations were found across products (air fresheners and aerosols).
Our results showed a statistically significant association between product use and infant diarrhea and maternal headache; the association with maternal headache was found at 2 points in time and for each product (Table 4). Whereas infant symptoms were associated with the use of these products, the symptoms were not validated by physical findings (e.g., ear infection with reporting of infant earache) or by laboratory tests (analysis of blood or urine for breakdown products from use of aerosols or air fresheners). (22) Vomiting and diarrhea in the infant may be a response to unfamiliar chemicals, but these symptoms may also be associated with exposure to unknown factors. For maternal symptoms of headache or migraine headache, there is no better procedure than self-report, whereas depression was measured using a validated scale.
Measured levels of TVOCs in the homes of subjects were well below established no-effect levels for acute symptoms in humans. (23) Most of these levels were set for occupational settings and with adults in mind and may, therefore, not be applicable to our study populations. The health effects on infants exposed to low levels of VOCs for protracted time periods are difficult or impossible to estimate–even in an experimental setting. Women may be more receptive physiologically to the effects of solvents than men, given that women have a larger percentage of body fat. This fact may be particularly important after childbirth. There may also be an additive or synergistic effect of exposure to the complex mixture of unknown chemicals in the home environment. Air fresheners, for example, often contain limonene–a terpene added to many household products to improve fragrance. Limonene reportedly acts synergistically with ethyl alcohol on the skin permeability of mice. (24,25)
We have been unable to find reports of studies on the effects of VOCs in infants, although there are some studies of short-term effects in adults. For example, a population of healthy nonsmoking adults revealed significant exposure effects for odor intensity, eye and throat irritation, headache, and drowsiness after exposure to a mixture of VOCs at 15- to 30-min intervals. (26) Consumer products that provide fragrance have shown toxic properties following exposure to relatively high levels of polar VOCs, but the literature is unclear with respect to low-level chronic exposure to these substances. (27) Perhaps reactions to air fresheners and aerosols may constitute a specific syndrome. (28,29) For example, bronchial hyperresponsiveness has been associated with indoor limonene concentrations. (30).
Polyacetal Compounds provide ESD protection. Compounds
With conductivity less than 1 x 105, PRE-ELEC 12-000 conductive compounds are based on copolymer polyacetal with carbon black or carbon fiber additive, while PRE-ELEC 12-031 compounds can be colored without affecting electrical properties. Ranging from 1 x 109 to 1 x 1011 s.U, PRE-ELEC ESD 12-000 static dissipative compounds are colorable alloys of copolymer polyacetal and inherently dissipative polymers.
Milton, WI (December 8, 2005) Premix Thermoplastics, Inc., a custom compounder of specialty electrically conductive thermoplastic compounds, has introduced a full line of conductive and static dissipative compounds based on copolymer polyacetal (POM). These compounds offer the excellent chemical resistance, toughness and low coefficient of friction of polyacetal while providing ESD protection. The new compounds are colorable and available with or without fiberglass reinforcement.
PRE-ELEC 12-000 conductive (<1×10e5 ohm) compounds are based on copolymer polyacetal with carbon black or carbon fiber additives. They are ideal for applications such as automotive fuel systems, gears and similar components where good toughness, wear and chemical resistance are important.
PRE-ELEC 12-031 conductive compounds can be colored for color coding if desired without affecting the electrical properties of the compound. These compounds are useful where the added stiffness of carbon fibers is desirable.
PRE-ELEC ESD 12-000 static dissipative (1×10e9 to 1×10e11 ohm) compounds are colorable alloys of copolymer polyacetal and inherently dissipative polymers. They are ideal for applications that require truly static dissipative properties with lower surface resistivity than PRE-ELEC 12-000 conductive products. They dissipate electrostatic charge at a slower rate than the truly conductive compounds PRE-ELEC 12-000 and PRE-ELEC 12-031.
Using many of the commercially available thermoplastics and virtually all of the electrically conductive additives, inherently dissipative polymers (IDPs), and inherently conductive polymers (ICPs), Premix creates customized solutions to meet customer needs.
For more information on PRE-ELEC 12-000 compounds, please contact Premix at 1-888-284-3304, e-mail sales@premixthermoplastics.com or visit the website at www.premix.fi.
Premix Thermoplastics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Premix Oy, a leading manufacturer of electrically conductive compounds in Europe. It offers customers innovative, reliable and safe plastics raw material solutions in applications ranging from ESD proof packaging to EMI shielding. Premix products are available for film, sheet and injection molding applications.
A whale’s tale: puzzling marine compounds are natural
An 85-year-old vial of oil from a whaling ship has revealed that a mysterious group of organic chemicals resembling human-made compounds are naturally produced in the sea.
A decade ago, scientists monitoring marine mammals’ flesh for pollutants began finding unknown organic compounds containing the halogen atoms bromine and chlorine. More than 20 such compounds were eventually revealed. That raised alarms because the compounds, as complex halogenated chemicals, structurally resemble the pesticide DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were once used in flame retardants.
Manufacture of those and similar chemicals began in the 1930s. But their production and use were banned in most countries decades ago, after they were found to be deadly pollutants. Because halogenated compounds break down extremely slowly, they persist in soil and water and accumulate in animal flesh.
Researchers wondered whether the recently discovered organic chemicals were manufactured or produced naturally. Symbiotic bacteria in ocean sponges, for example, produce chemicals similar to DDT and PCBs that deter fungal growth.
To investigate, Emma L. Teuten of the University of Plymouth in England and Christopher M. Reddy of the Woods Hole (Mass.) Oceanographic Institution analyzed a whale-oil sample from 1921, before industry produced the first halogenated chemicals.
Their sample came from ajar of the translucent, yellow, odorless oil found on the Charles W. Morgan, one of the last whaling ships in operation. The ship is now preserved and on display in Mystic, Conn. “We were incredibly lucky to acquire it,” Reddy says.
The scientists found 11 of the organic compounds in the whale oil. Because of the oil’s age, the 11 compounds must have been produced naturally, the scientists conclude in their report online and in an upcoming Environmental Pollution.
“This by no means puts the chemical industry off the book,” Reddy says. Industry will probably be pleased to hear that it isn’t responsible for the cleanup of additional compounds, he says, but the study “doesn’t say that Monsanto, the main producer of PCBs, is not responsible for PCBs that are found in the environment.”
The researchers argue that the naturally occurring compounds can shed light on the fates of the similar human-made ones. The recently discovered compounds must have been around far longer than DDT or PCBs, Teuten says, so researchers may be able to study the natural halogenated compounds to find out how industrial chemicals will continue to affect the environment.
Teuten and her colleagues say that they hope to determine where the new compounds are coming from and why they are being produced. The researchers are just beginning work to find out whether the compounds are toxic.
“I think the study is fantastic,” says Gordon W. Gribble of Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Their work “really does show that nature makes these compounds.”.
Polyacetal Compounds provide ESD protection. Compounds
With conductivity less than 1 x 105, PRE-ELEC 12-000 conductive compounds are based on copolymer polyacetal with carbon black or carbon fiber additive, while PRE-ELEC 12-031 compounds can be colored without affecting electrical properties. Ranging from 1 x 109 to 1 x 1011 s.U, PRE-ELEC ESD 12-000 static dissipative compounds are colorable alloys of copolymer polyacetal and inherently dissipative polymers.
Milton, WI (December 8, 2005) Premix Thermoplastics, Inc., a custom compounder of specialty electrically conductive thermoplastic compounds, has introduced a full line of conductive and static dissipative compounds based on copolymer polyacetal (POM). These compounds offer the excellent chemical resistance, toughness and low coefficient of friction of polyacetal while providing ESD protection. The new compounds are colorable and available with or without fiberglass reinforcement.
PRE-ELEC 12-000 conductive (<1×10e5 ohm) compounds are based on copolymer polyacetal with carbon black or carbon fiber additives. They are ideal for applications such as automotive fuel systems, gears and similar components where good toughness, wear and chemical resistance are important.
PRE-ELEC 12-031 conductive compounds can be colored for color coding if desired without affecting the electrical properties of the compound. These compounds are useful where the added stiffness of carbon fibers is desirable.
PRE-ELEC ESD 12-000 static dissipative (1×10e9 to 1×10e11 ohm) compounds are colorable alloys of copolymer polyacetal and inherently dissipative polymers. They are ideal for applications that require truly static dissipative properties with lower surface resistivity than PRE-ELEC 12-000 conductive products. They dissipate electrostatic charge at a slower rate than the truly conductive compounds PRE-ELEC 12-000 and PRE-ELEC 12-031.
Using many of the commercially available thermoplastics and virtually all of the electrically conductive additives, inherently dissipative polymers (IDPs), and inherently conductive polymers (ICPs), Premix creates customized solutions to meet customer needs.
For more information on PRE-ELEC 12-000 compounds, please contact Premix at 1-888-284-3304, e-mail sales@premixthermoplastics.com or visit the website at www.premix.fi.
Premix Thermoplastics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Premix Oy, a leading manufacturer of electrically conductive compounds in Europe. It offers customers innovative, reliable and safe plastics raw material solutions in applications ranging from ESD proof packaging to EMI shielding. Premix products are available for film, sheet and injection molding applications.
A whale’s tale: puzzling marine compounds are natural
An 85-year-old vial of oil from a whaling ship has revealed that a mysterious group of organic chemicals resembling human-made compounds are naturally produced in the sea.
A decade ago, scientists monitoring marine mammals’ flesh for pollutants began finding unknown organic compounds containing the halogen atoms bromine and chlorine. More than 20 such compounds were eventually revealed. That raised alarms because the compounds, as complex halogenated chemicals, structurally resemble the pesticide DDT and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which were once used in flame retardants.
Manufacture of those and similar chemicals began in the 1930s. But their production and use were banned in most countries decades ago, after they were found to be deadly pollutants. Because halogenated compounds break down extremely slowly, they persist in soil and water and accumulate in animal flesh.
Researchers wondered whether the recently discovered organic chemicals were manufactured or produced naturally. Symbiotic bacteria in ocean sponges, for example, produce chemicals similar to DDT and PCBs that deter fungal growth.
To investigate, Emma L. Teuten of the University of Plymouth in England and Christopher M. Reddy of the Woods Hole (Mass.) Oceanographic Institution analyzed a whale-oil sample from 1921, before industry produced the first halogenated chemicals.
Their sample came from ajar of the translucent, yellow, odorless oil found on the Charles W. Morgan, one of the last whaling ships in operation. The ship is now preserved and on display in Mystic, Conn. “We were incredibly lucky to acquire it,” Reddy says.
The scientists found 11 of the organic compounds in the whale oil. Because of the oil’s age, the 11 compounds must have been produced naturally, the scientists conclude in their report online and in an upcoming Environmental Pollution.
“This by no means puts the chemical industry off the book,” Reddy says. Industry will probably be pleased to hear that it isn’t responsible for the cleanup of additional compounds, he says, but the study “doesn’t say that Monsanto, the main producer of PCBs, is not responsible for PCBs that are found in the environment.”
The researchers argue that the naturally occurring compounds can shed light on the fates of the similar human-made ones. The recently discovered compounds must have been around far longer than DDT or PCBs, Teuten says, so researchers may be able to study the natural halogenated compounds to find out how industrial chemicals will continue to affect the environment.
Teuten and her colleagues say that they hope to determine where the new compounds are coming from and why they are being produced. The researchers are just beginning work to find out whether the compounds are toxic.
“I think the study is fantastic,” says Gordon W. Gribble of Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Their work “really does show that nature makes these compounds.”.
Specialty pharmaceuticals is latest Rite Aid venture - News - McKesson Corp
CAMP HILL, Pa. — Having established a steady foundation for its core pharmacy operations, Rite Aid is branching out to reach niche pharmacy patient populations. The chain in January kicked off a specialty pharmaceutical program through a partnership with McKesson.
Rite Aid made specialty pharmaceuticals a part of its five-year distribution renewal agreement with McKesson in an effort to reach out to a previously untapped market. “The demand for these products is far outpacing normal drug use, and this program will help Rite Aid remain on the cutting edge of community pharmacy,” noted Greg Drew, Rite Aid’s vice president of pharmacy health services. Specialty pharmacy sales approached $27 billion in 2002, according to IMS Health figures. Retail captured $3.5 billion of that market.
Indeed, specialty pharmacy, which down the road will include the dispensing of many biotechnology drugs still in development, is positioned to take off in the next 10 years. According to IMS figures, biotech makes up 24percent of what is currently in the pipeline.
And Rite Aid wants its fair share, which is why the chain is opening its 3,400-plus doors to the specialty pharmacy market. Earlier this year, the chain reached out to both the managed care and physician communities to let them know that Rite Aid soon would be in the specialty pharmacy market nationwide.
Previously, patients in need of injectable, high-technology drugs had to go somewhere other than Rite Aid, Drew said, because the drugs often are deemed difficult to dispense in a typical retail environment. For instance, the drugs generally carry a heavier expense, with retail prices as high as $1,200 per month, which makes the drug cost-prohibitive to stock in large quantities in a warehouse.
And because many insurance plans consider these drugs a medical expense as opposed to a prescription drug benefit, injectable therapies require more time to adjudicate. “When this occurs, there is usually not time in today’s busy pharmacy to handle all this administration, and typically the prescription is serviced by pharmacies focusing on this, business, usually delivering the product by mail,” Drew noted.
So another challenge Rite Aid must overcome is convincing managed care companies that specialty pharmaceuticals can be dispensed effectively in a retail environment. As part of the new deal, McKesson’s specialty pharmacy division will assist in adjudicating the prescriptions. Accordingly, if a specialty pharmaceutical prescription is denied at the Rite Aid pharmacy counter, the pharmacist will just pass the prescription along to a McKesson specialist, who then will research the claim in an effort to obtain a payer authorization before shooting the prescription back to Rite Aid for dispensing.
And continuing the “With Us It’s Personal” promise, Rite Aid is courting these customers with a comprehensive follow-up program. “[In partnership with] McKesson’s clinical technician staff [and] nurses, as well as Rite Aid’s compliance specialists and drug information pharmacists, this clinical patient support includes telephone calls to new patients and monthly checkups to ensure the patient is remaining on therapy, Drew said.