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“Information on the concentration of major, minor and trace elements in fruit juices is very important because the popularity of these beverages and the rate of their consumption have rapidly increased in the past 20 years. For the overwhelming majority of cases, the elemental analysis of fruit juices is carried out using spectrochemical analytical methods, which normally require

samples of fruit juices to be prepared by decomposing their organic matrix and releasing elements in a form suitable for measurement. This review covers different aspects of the elemental analysis of fruit juices and the societal implications related to the presence of various elements in these beverages. We review in detail sample-preparation procedures executed before the elemental analysis together with calibration strategies used, and quality assurance and quality control of results. (C) 2014 Elsevier MEK162 datasheet Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“We investigated whether the presence of menopause influenced the species and distribution of causative bacteria isolated from patients with acute uncomplicated cystitis CA3 mouse (the most common urinary tract infection), and we also investigated the sensitivity of the isolated species to antibacterial agents. Using multivariate analysis, we also investigated risk factors

for infection with quinolone-resistant Escherichia coli, because its frequency has increased selleckchem and it is now a clinical problem in Japan. Six hundred and thirty-four strains were isolated from 489 premenopausal patients (mean age 32.3 +/- A 10.1 years). Major causative bacteria detected were Escherichia coli (65.0 %), Enterococcus faecalis (12.0 %), Streptococcus agalactiae (5.5 %), and Klebsiella pneumoniae (1.6 %). From 501 postmenopausal patients (mean age 68.7 +/- A 10.29 years), 657 strains were isolated, and the major causative bacteria detected were E. coli (61.5 %), E. faecalis (13.7 %), K.

pneumoniae (5.2 %), and S. agalactiae (4.0 %). The sensitivities to fluoroquinolones (FQs) and cephems of E. coli isolated from premenopausal patients were both a parts per thousand yen90 %, while the sensitivities to FQs of E. coli isolated from postmenopausal patients were about 5 % lower. In regard to infection with quinolone-resistant E. coli (minimal inhibitory concentration of levofloxacin [LVFX] a parts per thousand yen4 mu g/mL), significant risk factors were observed in patients with more than two episodes of cystitis within a year (p = 0.0002), patients to whom antibacterial agents were used previously for this episode of cystitis (p = 0.0175), and patients who had a history of FQ administration within 1 month. Although the species and distribution of causative bacteria of acute uncomplicated cystitis were the same regardless of the presence of menopause, the sensitivities to FQs of E.