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Adsorption and degradation of thiazopyr in compost-amended and non-amended soils.

Adsorption and degradation of thiazopyr on two unamended soils and a soil amended annually during 8 years with compost were studied under laboratory conditions and compared with the results obtained on soils amended with fresh sewage sludge compost. The adsorption isotherms fitted the Freundlich equation well and a marked sorption increase was found in amended soils. Degradation data followed first-order kinetics and thiazopyr had a half-life of about 75 days at 25 degrees C and 60% water-holding capacity of soil. The addition of fresh compost markedly decreased the rate of thiazopyr degradation, whereas the compost mineralised in the field after annual additions had only a small influence. Incubation studies with sterile soils showed a very significant decrease of the degradation rate, indicating that degradation by micro-organisms was the main pathway of thiazopyr degradation in the soils studied.

Adsorption↗

Bioremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons in contaminated soils: comparison of biosolids addition, carbon supplementation, and monitored natural attenuation.

Two methods of biostimulation were compared in a laboratory incubation study with monitored natural attenuation (MNA) for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) degradation in diesel-contaminated Tarpley clay soil with low carbon content. One method utilized rapid-release inorganic fertilizers rich in N and P, and the other used sterilized, slow-release biosolids, which added C in addition to N and P. After 8 weeks of incubation, both biostimulation methods degraded approximately 96% of TPH compared to MNA, which degraded 93.8%. However, in the first week of incubation, biosolids-amended soils showed a linear two orders of magnitude increase in microbial population compared to MNA, whereas, in the fertilizer-amended soils, only a one order of magnitude increase was noted. In the following weeks, microbial population in the fertilizer-amended soils dropped appreciably, suggesting a toxic effect owing to fertilizer-induced acidity and/or NH(3) overdosing. Results suggest that biosolids addition is a more effective soil amendment method for biostimulation than the commonly practiced inorganic fertilizer application, because of the abilities of biosolids to supplement carbon. No statistically significant difference was observed between the biostimulation methods and MNA, suggesting that MNA can be a viable remediation strategy in certain soils with high native microbial population.

Bacteria↗

A practical method to statistically classify devices according to their relative accuracy.

Mathematical methods to statistically compare the relative accuracy of physiological monitoring devices to reference measurements are scarce. We developed such a method to compare any number of devices to each other as well as to reference values. This new statistical comparative procedure uses a combination of different known mathematical processes. The method allows the separation of the error of the devices into two components, the first, being systematic, can be easily amended, while the second, inherent to the technical limitations of the measuring device as well as to the physical properties of the explored phenomenon, cannot be corrected and will thus be used as the comparative criterion for statistics. That method, which is easy to implement should ease comparisons of the accuracy of any number of devices as well as comparison of other sets of physiological values, by giving an easy access to statistical results.

Equipment Design↗

The utility industry response to Title IV: generation mix, fuel choice, emissions and costs.

The Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 incorporate, for the first time, provisions aimed specifically at the control of acid rain. These provisions restrict emissions of sulfur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen from electric power generating stations. The restrictions on sulfur dioxide take the form of an overall cap on the aggregate emissions from major generating plants, allowing substantial flexibility in the industry's response to those restrictions. This report describes one response scenario through the year 2030, which was examined by simulation of the utility industry under assumptions consistent with a reference case that was used for analysis of the National Energy Strategy. Emissions that would result from the use of existing and new capacity and the associated additional costs of meeting demand subject to the emission limitations imposed by the Clean Air Act are projected. Fuel use effects, including coal market shifts, consistent with the response scenario are also described. These results, while dependent on specific assumptions for this scenario, provide insight into the general character of the likely utility industry response to Title IV.

Journal Article↗

A phase II study with CPT-11 plus leucovorin and bolus IV 5-fluorouracil in patients with advanced colorectal carcinoma.

Standard chemotherapy in advanced colorectal carcinoma (CRC) has not yet been established. The present study was conducted to assess the efficacy and toxicity profile of CPT-11, leucovorin (LV), and bolus 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) in a weekly schedule. Fifty-five patients were entered with no prior chemotherapy for advanced disease or adjuvant treatment ended at least 6 months preceding study entry, and 45 were assessable for response. Patients were treated with CPT-11 80 mg/m2 (7 patients) or 70 mg/m2 (48 patients). After completion of CPT-11 infusion, LV 200 mg/m2 was administered over 2 hr followed immediately by 5-FU 450 mg/m2, IV bolus, weekly for 6 weeks followed by a 2-week rest period. Treatment was continued for four cycles. Because of grade 3 and 4 diarrhea in four of the first seven patients, the study was amended to reduce the starting dose of CPT-11 from 80 to 70 mg/m2 weekly. Four complete and 10 partial responses were observed (response rate: 25.5%), the median time to progression (TTP) was 7.7 months, 1-year survival rate was 62.3%, and the median overall survival was 15.0 months. Grade 3 and 4 diarrhea occurred in seven patients (12.7%), four of them treated with CPT-11 80 mg/m2. Grade 3 myelotoxicity occurred in five patients (9.0%). Toxic death because of diarrhea, neutropenia, bacteremia, and sepsis occurred in a patient treated with CPT-11 80 mg/m2. Our results confirm the efficacy of CPT-11, LV, and 5-FU in a weekly schedule in patients with advanced CRC. Further studies are needed to compare the present regimen with higher doses of CPT-11 with LV plus different schedules of 5-FU administration in the treatment of metastatic CRC.

Adult↗

Phase II study of pemetrexed disodium (Alimta) administered with oral folic acid in patients with advanced gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the activity of pemetrexed in patients with advanced gastric cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Thirty-eight eligible patients (median age 60 years) received pemetrexed 500 mg/m(2) every 3 weeks. Since toxicity was considerable in the first six patients, the protocol was amended to supplement subsequent patients with oral folic acid (5 mg/day on days -2 to +2 of every cycle). RESULTS: Among 36 stage IV patients evaluable for efficacy (six non-supplemented\30 supplemented), there were two complete and six partial responses. The response rate was 21% (95% confidence interval 8% to 32%) according to intention-to-treat analysis. All responding patients were in the supplemented group. The median duration of response was 4.6 months and the median survival was 7.8 months. Five of six non-supplemented patients (83%) developed grade 3/4 neutropenia; two (33%) unsupplemented patients discontinued; two (33%) patients died due to toxicity. In the supplemented group, 12 of 32 patients (37%) had grade 3/4 neutropenia. None of the supplemented patients discontinued treatment due to hematological toxicity. Severe non-hematological toxicities were infrequent. CONCLUSIONS: The activity of pemetrexed is promising in light of the tumor burden in these patients (all patients were stage IV and 39% had three or more organs involved). Toxicities were remarkably decreased with folic acid supplementation. Combination studies are warranted.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Toxicity and health-related quality of life in breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide (TAC) or 5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (FAC): impact of adding primary prophylactic granulocyte-colony stimulating factor to the TAC regimen.

BACKGROUND: The aim of the study was to analyse the toxicity and health related quality of life (HRQoL) of breast cancer patients treated with FAC (5-fluorouracil, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide) and TAC (docetaxel, doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide) with and without primary prophylactic G-CSF (PPG). PATIENTS AND METHODS: This was a phase III study to compare FAC and TAC as adjuvant treatment of high-risk node-negative breast cancer patients. After the entry of the first 237 patients, the protocol was amended to include PPG in the TAC arm due to the high incidence of febrile neutropenia. A total of 1047 evaluable patients from 49 centres in Spain, two in Poland and four in Germany were included in the trial. Side-effects and the scores of the EORTC QLQ-C30 and QLQ BR-23 questionnaires were compared in the three groups (FAC, TAC pre-amendment and TAC post-amendment). RESULTS: The addition of PPG to TAC significantly reduced the incidence of neutropenic fever, grade 2-4 anaemia, asthenia, anorexia, nail disorders, stomatitis, myalgia and dysgeusia. Patient QoL decreased during chemotherapy, more with TAC than FAC, but returned to baseline values afterwards. The addition of PPG to TAC significantly reduced the percentage of patients with clinically relevant Global Health Status deterioration (10 or more points over baseline value) at the end of chemotherapy (64% versus 46%, P<0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The addition of PPG significantly reduces the incidence of neutropenic fever associated with TAC chemotherapy as well as that of some TAC-induced haematological and extrahaematological side-effects. The HRQoL of patients treated with TAC is worse than that of those treated with FAC but improves with the addition of PPG, particularly in the final part of chemotherapy treatment.

Adolescent↗

Trust in training: the Oil, Chemical, and Atomic Workers International Union Worker-to-Worker Training Program.

The OCAW's Worker-to-Worker Training Program was established with one of the first grants awarded under the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986. The union intended the program to serve as a model to industry and to raise the standard of safety and health training throughout the industry. The program, which requires trainees to actively participate in learning activities, has garnered praise from its participants.

Chemical Industry↗

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) in the terrestrial environment.

The occurrence of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) in a series of soil samples originating from the municipality of Roskilde has been studied. The study includes soil samples from eight different locations with different histories: a preserved natural area that has not been cultured for 50-100 years, a soil that has been ecologically cultured for 40 years, a soil sustainably manured in ecologically culture for 5 years (formerly conventionally cultured) and a soil that has been conventionally cultured using artificial fertilizer. In addition, a soil was studied that had been sludge amended by applying medium amounts of sludge as well as a soil that has been amended with high amounts of sludge for a 25-year period. In the latter case, the sludge amendment was abandoned 6 years before the first sampling, followed by the application of artificial fertilizers. Finally, a meadow in the run-off zone from a sludge storage area was included in the investigations. In addition to the soil samples, selected samples of the applied sludge and other fertilizers were analyzed for their possible content of LAS. Apart from the location where the soil had been heavily sludge-amended and the location situated in the run-off zone of the sludge storage, concentrations of LAS in all soil samples were found to be below approximately 1 mg/kg, which is well below the proposed preliminary soil quality criteria for LAS of 5 mg/kg. On the other hand, the study unambiguously disclosed that in the case of heavy sludge amendment, the proposed soil quality criteria might well be exceeded.

Alkanesulfonic Acids↗

Recent developments in employee benefits law.

The first part of this article highlights important judicial developments involving employee benefits and the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), as amended, during the latter part of 2003 and the first part of 2004, including the most significant U.S. Supreme Court and federal circuit court decisions. The second part covers recent legislative and regulatory developments in employee benefits law. This article is not meant to be exhaustive, but discusses the more important developments during 2003-2004, with particular focus on issues of concern to the insurance industry.

Employee Retirement Income Security Act↗

Isolation and characterization of Methanomethylovorans hollandica gen. nov., sp. nov., isolated from freshwater sediment, a methylotrophic methanogen able to grow on dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol.

A newly isolated methanogen, strain DMS1(T), is the first obligately anaerobic archaeon which was directly enriched and isolated from a freshwater sediment in defined minimal medium containing dimethyl sulfide (DMS) as the sole carbon and energy source. The use of a chemostat with a continuous DMS-containing gas stream as a method of enrichment, followed by cultivation in deep agar tubes, resulted in a pure culture. Since the only substrates utilized by strain DMS1(T) are methanol, methylamines, methanethiol (MT), and DMS, this organism is considered an obligately methylotrophic methanogen like most other DMS-degrading methanogens. Strain DMS1(T) differs from all other DMS-degrading methanogens, since it was isolated from a freshwater pond and requires NaCl concentrations (0 to 0.04 M) typical of the NaCl concentrations required by freshwater microorganisms for growth. DMS was degraded effectively only in a chemostat culture in the presence of low hydrogen sulfide and MT concentrations. Addition of MT or sulfide to the chemostat significantly decreased degradation of DMS. Transient accumulation of DMS in MT-amended cultures indicated that transfer of the first methyl group during DMS degradation is a reversible process. On the basis of its low level of homology with the most closely related methanogen, Methanococcoides burtonii (94.5%), its position on the phylogenetic tree, its morphology (which is different from that of members of the genera Methanolobus, Methanococcoides, and Methanohalophilus), and its salt tolerance and optimum (which are characteristic of freshwater bacteria), we propose that strain DMS1(T) is a representative of a novel genus. This isolate was named Methanomethylovorans hollandica. Analysis of DMS-amended sediment slurries with a fluorescence microscope revealed the presence of methanogens which were morphologically identical to M. hollandica, as described in this study. Considering its physiological properties, M. hollandica DMS1(T) is probably responsible for degradation of MT and DMS in freshwater sediments in situ. Due to the reversibility of the DMS conversion, methanogens like strain DMS1(T) can also be involved in the formation of DMS through methylation of MT. This phenomenon, which previously has been shown to occur in sediment slurries of freshwater origin, might affect the steady-state concentrations and, consequently, the total flux of DMS and MT in these systems.

Base Sequence↗

Accelerated volatilization rates of selenium from different soils.

Selenium (Se), an element found naturally in a variety of soils, can accumulate in drainage water of lands under intensive irrigation, even reaching levels that are toxic to mammals and birds. Volatilization of Se by soil microorganisms into dimethylselenide (DMSe) can be enhanced by certain soil amendments and, thus, be used as a soil remediation process. In an 8-wk laboratory study, five soils from California and one from Germany were spiked with 75SeO3(2-) (22.3 mg/kg Se). Two amino acids (DL-homocysteine and L-methionine), a carbohydrate (pectin), and a protein (zein) were tested as soil amendments. Gaseous 75Se emissions were trapped with activated carbon and measured in a gamma counter. Depending on soil type, the cumulative volatilization from the control flasks varied between 1.2% and 9.0% of applied 75Se. Both zein and L-methionine strongly increased volatilization (max. 43% of 75Se applied), whereas DL-homocysteine had a much smaller stimulating effect. Pectin showed a moderate effect, but enhanced Se volatilization rates were sustained much longer when compared to the zein amendment. Volatilization rates of Se followed a simple first-order reaction. Gaseous Se emission in the soils treated with L-methionine yielded an S-shaped curve, which fit a growth-modified first-order rate model. Although zein and L-methionine were the most favorable treatments enhancing Se volatilization, all six soils responded differently to the soil amendments.

Selenium↗

Nitrogen mineralization and nitrate leaching of a sandy soil amended with different organic wastes.

Organic wastes can be recycled as a source of plant nutrients, enhancing crop production by improving soil quality. However, the study of the dynamic of soil nutrient, especially the N dynamic, after soil application of any organic material is vital for assessing a correct and effective use of the material, minimizing the losses of nitrate in leachates and avoiding the negative environmental effects that it may cause in groundwater. To estimate the effect of three organic materials, a municipal solid waste compost (MWC), a non-composted paper mill sludge (PS), and an agroforest compost (AC) on the N dynamic of a sandy soil two experiments were carried out: an incubation experiment and a column experiment. The incubation experiment was conducted to estimate the N mineralization rate of the different soil-amendment mixtures. The soil was mixed with the organic amendments at a rate equivalent to 50,000 kg ha(-1) and incubated during 40 weeks at constant moisture content (70% of its water-holding capacity) and temperature (28 degrees C) under aerobic conditions. Organic amendment-soil samples showed an immobilization of N during the first weeks, which was more noticeable and longer in the case of PS-treated soil compared to the other two amendments due to its high C/N ratio. After this immobilization stage, a positive mineralization was observed for all treatment, especially in MWC treated soil. Contemporaneously a 1-year column (19 cm diameter and 60 cm height) experiment was carried out to estimate the nitrate losses from the soil amended with the same organic materials. Amendments were mixed with the top soil (0-15 cm) at a rate equivalent to 50,000 kg ha(-1). The columns were periodically irrigated simulating rainfall in the area of study, receiving in total 415 mm of water, and the water draining was collected during the experimental period and analysed for NO3-N. At the end of the experimental period NO3-N content in soil columns at three depths (0-20, 20-35 and 35-50 cm) was determined. The nitrate concentration in drainage water confirmed the results obtained in the incubation experiment: nitrate leaching was higher in soil treated with MWC due to its higher N-mineralization rate. Nevertheless, the nitrate losses represented a low amount compared with the total nitrogen added to soil. No clear signs of water-draining contamination were observed during the first year after the application of AC and PS; however, the nitrate leaching in soil treated with MWC slightly exceeded the limit allowed for the Drinking Water Directive 98/83/CE.

Agriculture↗

[Relations between pharmacies and drug stores during the first years of Czechoslovak independence].

Union of chemists exploited the disputes between pharmacists and legislators for its own prosperity. In 1780 the sale of natural drugs was permitted to the chemists for first time and the Trade Rules of 1856 (later amended) gave them a possibility of production, preparation and sale of poisons and medicaments, unless they were reserved for pharmacists only (section 15, article 14). Among the first founders of chemist's shops belonged the pharmacists who could not establish their own pharmaceutical store due to lack of finance or complaints from their colleagues. The chemist's didn't have to fulfill the obligatory requirements for rooms and equipment, they were not regularly checked and they had less expenses and also lower prices. Their lower profit from the sale of medicaments was compensated by selling typical chemist's articles. The pharmacists brought the level of chemists nearly to the level of organized pharmacy (pharmaceutics supervisory committee, division into regions, a two-years special school, producing and purchasing cooperatives). However, around 1925 the pharmacists became aliens from the point of view of chemists. The chemists felt their own existence threatened and tried to refuse pharmaceutical studies as an approval for chemist trade and tried to limit the sale of cosmetics and dietetics in the pharmaceutical stores. Without bashfulness, they themselves dispatched and prepared medicaments on medical and veterinary prescriptions even though it was illegal. Later they tried to legalize this state during the discussions of the reform of pharmaceutical law. Protesting pharmacists did not have efficient support either from the pharmaceutics supervisory committee, Ministry of Health Care, or Chamber of Commerce. The state solution to this problem which lacked any concept, and together with inconsistency and disunity among pharmacists themselves contributed to deepen the problems between pharmacists and chemists. Unfortunately, pharmacists often focused on minor matters and omitted the essential problems of their profession.

Commerce↗

Influence of Portland cement amendment on soil pH and residual soil termiticide performance.

Soil adjacent to new brick veneer work is likely to have a higher pH owing to the mixture of cement with the soil. In the Gainesville, FL, area, soil samples taken from such locations had a range of pH values from 9.0 to 10.1; similar soils used in bioassays had a pH of 5.6 before the addition of cement. Addition of 15 mg of Portland cement to 33 g of soil increased the pH to 6, and addition of 291 mg of Portland cement increased the pH to 9. The pH of soil amended with cement was stable for the first 5 months. After 10 months, soil pH values decreased from alkaline to near neutral in all cases. Eastern subterranean termite workers, Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar), were exposed to the treated soil at pH 6-9 for 24 h, and percentage mortality was recorded at 5 days, 5 months and 10 months. Termite mortality significantly decreased at higher soil pHs for bifenthrin, chlorpyrifos, fipronil and imidacloprid treatments at 5 months and similarly for bifenthrin, permethrin, chlorpyrifos, fipronil and imidacloprid treatments at 10 months. There was an inverse linear relationship between soil pH and mortality. Increased soil pH diminished residual activity of termiticide in the following order: imidacloprid > fipronil > chlorpyrifos = bifenthrin > permethrin > cypermethrin.

Animals↗

New method for improving accuracy of 24-hour continuous intragastric pH-metry. Reflections on physiological and pharmacological studies.

Continuous 24-hr intragastric pH-metry was prospectively performed in 801 subjects with different clinical conditions using two pH electrodes placed closely adjacent. The aim was to assess the in situ repeatability of the test and to verify whether the removal of artifacts, interference, and noise usually superimposed onto the fundamental signal recorded by the measuring apparatus improves the clinical usefulness of experimental data. The following debugging/filtering procedure was used: first, pH recordings of each channel were amended separately from artifacts, then they underwent 7 min windowed median interference debugging, and finally Wiener noise filtering was applied. Afterwards, the 24-hr mean pH profile was obtained in each subject by averaging the pH tracings of the two channels every minute (1440 data points/24 hr). The efficiency of this procedure was assessed at each step by evaluating the difference among groups using the O'Brien test, a distribution-free nonparametric method well-suited for evaluating differences among groups allocated onto a two-way layout. The differences among groups calculated from raw pH data of the single channels can be very misleading, in that it is possible to find that they are significant on one channel and not significant on the other channel. Conversely, the significance of the differences among groups increases progressively at each step of the above debugging/filtering procedure applied to raw pH profiles of each channel. Seven minutes was shown to be the most suitable time lag for windowed median removal of interference.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Artifacts↗

Effect of natural zeolite (clinoptilolite) on microbial decomposition processes in stored pig-slurry solids.

The solid fraction (SF) of pig slurry obtained in the first stage of aerobic slurry treatment was amended with 1 and 2% zeolite (clinoptilolite) and stored for 12 weeks under anaerobic conditions or with turning after 3 and 6 weeks of storage. In addition to that SF was mixed with 2% zeolite, 50% (V/V) sawdust, and both sawdust and zeolite, and stored for 6 weeks with turning after 1 and 3 weeks. Plate counts of psychrophilic, mesophilic, coliform and fecal coliform bacteria, determined during the storage, corresponded to the development of temperature in the core of the substrates. An effect of amendment of SF with zeolite and sawdust on plate counts of selected bacteria was observed, dependent on the zeolite dose. The thermophilic phase was not reached in any of the investigated substrates. The populations of fecal coliforms in the substrate amended with 1% zeolite and turned after 3 and 6 weeks decreased after 11 weeks down to 500 CFU/g substrate.

Aerobiosis↗

Impact of subsidizing effective anti-osteoporosis drugs on compliance with management guidelines in patients following low-impact fractures.

Early in 2000, proven-effective antiresorptive drugs (alendronate and raloxifene) were included in the national "health basket" in Israel. We carried out the present study to evaluate the effect of subsidizing antiosteoporosis drugs on the use of antiosteoporosis drugs in patients following low-impact fractures. The rates of dispensation of antiosteoporosis drugs, in the hospital and in the community, before and after an incident of a newly diagnosed low-impact fracture, respectively, were evaluated during January and February 1998 and 1999 ("pre-basket") and the corresponding months of 2000 and 2001 ("post-basket"). The study was carried out in a 950-bed teaching hospital, the only one serving the area, and the largest health maintenance organization in the area. Hospital charts of women and men age 50 years and older with new fractures following low- or moderate-impact trauma treated in the emergency room, or admitted to the orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation departments, were reviewed. A centralized pharmacy computerized database was used to follow antiosteoporosis drug dispensation in the community. A significant, approximately two-fold, increase in the baseline (before fracture) rate of osteoporosis drug dispensation was observed between the pre- and post-basket periods. The rate of patients treated after a fracture incident also increased significantly, 1.6 fold, in the post-basket period; however, even in the post-basket period, two-thirds of the patients remained untreated following a fracture incident, and most of those treated received only calcium and vitamin D; only 17% received potent antiosteoporosis drugs. In a multivariate analysis, female gender, hospitalization, having the incident of fracture in the post-basket period, and above all being treated for osteoporosis before the fracture incident, had the greatest effect on the likelihood of being treated following a low-impact fracture incident. The increase in the pooled use of antiosteoporosis drugs and/or calcium/vitamin D supplements was continuous, and subsidizing created no step-up effect, besides a transient increase in the use of potent antiosteoporosis drugs in the first year following the health-basket amendment. We conclude that while subsidizing may have a significant, positive effect on antiosteoporosis drug utilization, other factors may be even more important. There is an ongoing need to find ways to encourage the use of effective pharmacological interventions for primary and secondary prevention of osteoporotic fractures.

Aged↗