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PubMed1986

[Control of the European hog cholera with regard to new European Community regulations. Changes in state preventive measures relating to district vaccinations].

Since the end of 1982 classical swine fever has again occurred in the Federal Republic of Germany. There was an increasing trend until the middle of 1984. The number of cases increased above all in the northwest of the Federal Republic, the area with a high pig density. In mid-1984 it was decided in the Federal Republic to carry out for the first time a large-scale systematic vaccination of all pigs in a certain heavily affected area--similar to what is done in the Netherlands--apart from the traditional classical measures of epizootic disease control including stamping out and quarantine; i.e. not only fattening herds (Second Regulation for the amendment of the Regulation on Classical Swine Fever of 20 June 1984--Bundesgesetzblatt I, page 766). The reasons are: in the areas with a high pig density and a high degree of infection classical measures only did no longer suffice. In addition there were trends in the EEC to bar the entire Federal Republic of Germany from exports of pigs and fresh pigmeat. Furthermore there was the danger of excluding the Federal Republic from the current EEC eradication programme, under which the Federal Republic receives considerable funds. Since it has been started to carry out systematic large-scale vaccinations of herds in infected areas in the northwest of the Federal Republic there was a clear decline in the number of new outbreaks in these areas. There are still individual cases in other regions of the Federal Republic of Germany (new outbreaks during the first half of 1984: 738 cases, the second half of 1984: 277 cases, the first half of 1985: 301 cases). Special conditions for systematic large-scale vaccination in infected areas were uniformly set up within the entire EEC. These provisions as well as other new provisions resulting from Community law were translated into national law by further amendments to the Regulation on Classical Swine Fever. Tables contain, among other things, details about pig husbandry, and the number of cases of classical swine fever in EEC member countries.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Lasofoxifene: CP 336156, CP-336156.

Lasofoxifene [CP 336156] is a potent, nonsteroidal, tissue-selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). It has the bone-sparing and cardioprotective effects of estrogen, but lacks estrogen's uterine cancer risk. Lasofoxifene is under development with Ligand Pharmaceuticals and Pfizer (formerly Parke-Davis) for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis and breast cancer. In June 2000, Parke-Davis' parent company, Warner-Lambert, merged with Pfizer. The resulting company retained the Pfizer name and Parke-Davis was integrated into Pfizer Global Research and Development. The discovery of lasofoxifene resulted from a research collaboration between Pfizer and Ligand Pharmaceuticals. There was a contract dispute between the two companies relating to their research agreement. Under a settlement of litigation, Ligand is entitled to milestone and royalty payments. If Pfizer is successful in developing the drug through to regulatory approval in the US, Ligand could receive royalty revenues from lasofoxifene as early as 2003-2004. The royalties will be equal to 6% of net sales and will be in addition to milestone payments for continuing development of the drug. However, on 6 March 2002, Ligand Pharmaceutical announced an agreement with Royalty Pharma in which the latter purchased the rights to a share of these future payments. Under the agreement, Ligand received US dollars 6 million from Royalty Pharma in exchange for a 0.25% stake in net sales of three SERM products (lasofoxifene, bazedoxifene and bazedoxifene/Premarin) for a period of 10 years. Royalty Pharma retains the option to purchase, at escalating prices, additional rights (subject to timing restrictions) to extend this stake up to 1.0%, for a total of US dollars 56 million. In April 2002, Royalty Pharma exercised its first option to purchase an additional 0.125% of potential future sales of the three SERMS in exchange for US dollars 3 million. Subsequently, in December 2002, Royalty Pharma exercised an expanded option and agreed to pay Ligand US dollars 6.775 million for 0.1875% of potential future sales of SERM products. Royalty Pharma and Ligand Pharmaceutical amended their royalty agreement in October 2003 for the three SERM products. Under the amended agreement, Royalty Pharma exercised an option to pay Ligand US dollars 12.5 million, plus cumulative milestones of up to US dollars 2.5 million upon the launches of the three SERMs (provided they are approved by 30 September 2005), in exchange for 0.7% of potential future sales of the products for 10 years. In November 2004, Ligand Pharmaceuticals and Royalty Pharma further amended their existing royalty agreement for the three SERM products. Under the terms of the revised agreement, Royalty Pharma will purchase an additional 1.625% of the SERM products' net sales for US dollars 32.5 million, which represents an acceleration of the previous option timetable and an increase in the royalty amount as well as aggregate purchase price. Consequently, Royalty Pharma increased its rights to a total of 3.0125% of net sales of each SERM product for 10 years following the first commercial sale of each product and has no further options. Ligand retains an approximately equal portion of lasofoxifene and other SERM's net sales going forward and for periods that could exceed 10 years. The royalty rates owed to Royalty Pharma for the royalties just purchased could be reduced by one-third if product sales exceed certain thresholds. Payments from the royalty purchase are non-refundable, regardless of whether the products ever become successfully launched or not. Milestone payments owed by Ligand's partners as products achieve development and regulatory targets will be paid to Ligand as earned and are not included in this amended agreement. In September 2004, Ligand Pharmaceuticals earned a milestone payment of approximately US dollars 2 million from Pfizer, payable in 181,818 shares of Ligand stock held by Pfizer. The payment was triggered by Pfizer's NDA submission for lasofoxifene in August 2004. Under the terms of the agreement between Ligand and Pfizer, Ligand is entitled to receive an additional milestone upon successful approval of lasofoxifene. On 19 August 2004, Pfizer filed an NDA with the US FDA for lasofoxifene for the prevention of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Product launch is forecasted to occur in 2006-2007. Ligand reported in January 2004 at the 22nd Annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference that it anticipated the availability of phase III data and NDA filing sometime in 2004. Lasofoxifene has undergone two phase III studies with Pfizer in the US as an orally administered therapy for postmenopausal osteoporosis. In June 2003, Pfizer reported that enrolment was completed in a trial evaluating lasofoxifene in the prevention of bone loss. The trial also evaluated lasofoxifene's effect on lipid levels. The trial enrolled approximately 2000 postmenopausal women. Another trial was conducted among 8500 patients to investigate lasofoxifene in the treatment of fractures. In addition, Pfizer began a third worldwide phase III trial to evaluate whether lasofoxifene reduced the risk of vertebral fractures, breast cancer and cardiovascular disease. At the 10th Annual Meeting of the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO-2003), Ligand also confirmed that lasofoxifene was in phase III development for breast cancer. Lasofoxifene is under clinical evaluation as a treatment for vaginal atrophy. According to Pfizer's pipeline in November 2004, the company anticipates regulatory submission for vaginal atrophy by the end of 2004. In June 2002, Ligand estimated that lasofoxifene has the potential to reach sales of US dollars 1-2 billion, pending approval.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Regulatory issues relating to therapies for periodontal regeneration.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has regulated medical devices since May 1976, when the Medical Device Amendments were enacted. The clinical trial requirements for the marketing of periodontal regeneration devices have been dependent, in part, on the degree of their similarity to devices marketed prior to the legislative enactment date in terms of materials, indication statements, and labeling claims. Nonresorbable barriers were allowed to be marketed based on their equivalence to devices marketed prior to the enactment date based on biocompatability and clinical trial data under the premarket notification requirements section of the law. Bone filling materials such as hydroxyapatite were first marketed based on the finding of equivalence to predicate devices. Newer technologies such as bioabsorbable barriers have also been reviewed under the premarket notification provisions of the law, but manufacturers have been required to provide more extensive safety and effectiveness data to establish equivalence to pre-Amendments devices. Data to answer questions related to the potential toxicity of breakdown products, period of absorption, and ultimate clinical effectiveness needed to be answered prior to marketing. New devices that incorporate technologies that are not substantially equivalent to predicate devices must proceed through the premarket approval route to marketing. For new devices considered a potential significant risk to the patient population, clinical trials are conducted via the investigational device exemption (IDE) requirements that specify the means by which trials will proceed in order to protect the rights of patients. New devices of organic origin, such as bone morphogenic protein, have followed the premarket approval route with IDE requirements instituted as a condition for their path to the marketplace. Issues associated with immediate and long-term contact including potential toxicity, tumorigenicity, and sensitization need to be addressed with appropriate animal models.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Involuntary hospitalizations in the psychiatric hospital Jankomir before and following the alterations and amendments made to ZZODS.

Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders as well as the delirium caused by abstinence from alcohol and accute state of drunkenness appear at the very top of the list of factors, which are positively correlated with involuntary hospitalization of patients. This is at the same time a confirmation of the data found in literature considering psychosis an essential factor of involuntary hospitalization; the same referring to the male sex was not, however, confirmed by the results obtained in the first and second research period. Regarding the positive correlation between schizophrenia and other psychotic disturbances, dementia, delirium and other cognitive impairments including the delirium caused by abstinence from alcohol and an accute state of drunkenness on the one side and the high rate of involuntary hospitalization on the other, there is no statistically significant difference between the period preceding and the period following the alterations and amendments to the Law on the protection of patients with mental disorders.

Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders↗
PubMed2005

Application of liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry for the identification and characterisation of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and sulfophenyl carboxylates in sludge-amended soils.

A novel procedure was developed for the simultaneous determination of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) and their major metabolites, sulfophenyl carboxylates (SPC), in sludge-amended soil. After pressurised liquid extraction with methanol/water (90:10) and a clean-up on C18 solid-phase extraction cartridges, final analysis was done by ion-pair liquid chromatography-electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). With this method, SPC with 5-13 carbon atoms in the aliphatic side chain were identified for the first time in agricultural soils treated with sewage sludge. Quantification of LAS and SPC in soil from 10 field sites, which differed in the history of sludge application, gave total concentrations of 120-2840 microg kg(-1) for LAS and of 4-220 microg kg(-1) for SPC. The data provided evidence for rapid biodegradation of LAS in the initial phase after sludge amendment with a transitory build-up of high concentrations of, mainly, short-chain SPC. Trace amounts of residual LAS and SPC were detected in soils having received the last sludge treatment 10 days to 4 years prior to sampling.

Carboxylic Acids↗
PubMed2005

Decrease in water-soluble 17beta-Estradiol and testosterone in composted poultry manure with time.

Little attention has been paid to the environmental fate of the hormones 17beta-estradiol and testosterone excreted in animal waste. Land application of manure has a considerable potential to affect the environment with these endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). Composting is known to decompose organic matter to a stable, humus-like material. The goal of the present study was to quantitatively assess levels of water-soluble 17beta-estradiol and testosterone in composting chicken manure with time. Chicken layer manure was mixed with hay, straw, decomposed leaves, and starter compost, adjusted to approximately 60% moisture, and placed into a windrow. A clay-amended windrow was also prepared. Windrows were turned weekly, and temperature, oxygen, and CO(2) in the composting mass were monitored for either 133 or 139 d. Commercial enzyme immunoassay kits were used to quantitate the levels of 17beta-estradiol and testosterone in aqueous sample extracts. Water-soluble quantities of both hormones diminished during composting. The decrease in 17beta-estradiol followed first-order kinetics, with a rate constant k = -0.010/d. Testosterone levels declined at a slightly higher rate than 17beta-estradiol (i.e., k = -0.015/d). Both hormones could still be measured in aqueous extracts of compost sampled at the conclusion of composting. The decline in water-soluble 17beta-estradiol and testosterone in extracts of clay-amended compost was not statistically different from normal compost. These data suggest that composting may be an environmentally friendly technology suitable for reducing, but not eliminating, the concentrations of these endocrine disrupting hormones at concentrated animal operation facilities.

Androgens↗
PubMed2004

A phase I trial of 3-aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone in combination with gemcitabine for patients with advanced cancer.

PURPOSE: 3-Aminopyridine-2-carboxaldehyde thiosemicarbazone (3-AP), a new and potent inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase (RR), increases the cellular uptake, DNA incorporation, and cytotoxicity of gemcitabine in tumor cell lines. A phase I trial was initiated to determine the safety profile and maximum tolerated doses of 3-AP and gemcitabine when used in combination in patients with advanced cancer. STUDY DESIGN: 3-AP and gemcitabine were administered on days 1, 8, and 15 of each 28-day cycle. Initially, 3-AP was infused over 2 h at a fixed dose of 105 mg/m(2). Gemcitabine was given over 30 min beginning no less than 1 and no more than 4 h after 3-AP. The first cohort received 3-AP alone in the first cycle. Subsequently, the gemcitabine dose was escalated beginning at 600 mg/m(2) in cohorts of three to six patients. Following the gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) dose level, the study was amended to determine if the 3-AP dose could be escalated above 105 mg/m(2). RESULTS: 3-AP at 105 mg/m(2) administered over 2 h followed in 1-4 h by gemcitabine at 1000 mg/m(2) produced a toxicity profile similar to that expected for gemcitabine alone at the same dose. When the dose of 3-AP was escalated to 140 and 185 mg/m(2) administered over 2 h and subsequently over 4 h, acute hypotension, hypoxia, and EKG changes including non-specific ST-T wave changes and mild QT prolongation were observed, and one patient with underlying diffuse coronary artery disease had an asymptomatic myocardial infarction. 3-AP was shown to cause mild, reversible methemoglobinemia. Average end-of infusion serum concentrations for 3-AP at all doses were within the range capable of enhancing gemcitabine cytotoxicity in vitro. Gemcitabine plasma concentrations at end-of-infusion and elimination half-life were consistent with values reported in the literature. Among 22 evaluable patients, one complete response and two partial responses were observed, and an additional patient had prolonged stabilization of a large liver metastasis. CONCLUSIONS: 3-AP at 105 mg/m(2) infused over 2-4 h followed by gemcitabine at 1000 mg/m(2) on a days 1, 8, and 15 schedule every 28 days was generally well-tolerated and had a toxicity profile similar to that of gemcitabine alone. 3-AP produced mild to modest methemoglobinemia, which could cause acute symptoms in patients with limited pulmonary or cardiovascular reserve. The combination demonstrated antitumor activity and merits further exploration in phase II trials.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Plant uptake of cadmium, zinc, and manganese from four contrasting soils amended with Cd-enriched sewage sludge.

Studies on the uptake of cadmium, zinc and manganese from Cd-enriched sewage sludge (0-80 mg Cd kg(-1)) amended Ultisol, Alfisol, Entisol and Vertisol by maize (Zea mays L.) followed by mung bean (Phaseolus aureus Roxb.) revealed that in general, there was a progressive reduction in the dry matter yield of both the crops due to enhanced Cd concentrations in the soil-sludge mixture in all the soils except Ultisol. Significant enhancement in the Cd content of shoots of both the crops with increased sludge Cd was also noticed. Both native and Cd-enriched sewage sludge amendments enhanced the Zn content significantly but resulted in variable uptake of Mn by maize and mung bean shoots. Data on DTPA extractable Cd from soils (Ultisol, Alfisol and Entisol) after first crop (maize) harvest correlated significantly with forage Cd of second crop (mung bean) which indicated significant residual levels of Cd available for plant uptake.

Cadmium↗
PubMed1999

[Community-acquired bacterial meningitis in the Loire-Atlantic region: evolution of pneumococcal and meningococcal sensitivity to penicillin].

OBJECTIVES: An epidemiological study of community-acquired bacterial meningitis was conducted in Loire-Atlantique in subjects aged over 1 month. Risk factors and changes in pneumococcal and meningococcal susceptibility to betalactams were analyzed. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All cases of proven or presumed bacterial meningitis registered by Loire-Atlantic bacteriology laboratories between May 1995 and April 1998 were analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred two cases were registered (annual incidence: 3.12 cases per 100,000 inhabitants). In children (33 cases) the main germs were meningococci (51%), pneumococci (24%) and Haemophilus influenzae (6%). In adults (69 cases), pneumococci (49%), meningococci (14%) and Listeria (4%) predominated. An underlying disease was noted 44% of the cases. Mortality was 17.6%. Sequellae were observed in 9.5%. Some degree of penicillin resistance was observed in 45% of the pneumococcal strains and in 50% of the meningococcal strains. Half of the pneumococcal strains were also resistant to third generation cephalosporins (C3G). No risk factor was significantly related to resistant strains. Susceptibility to antibiotics was not correlated with mortality for either pneumococcal or meningococcal strains, but sequellae were more frequent after meningitis caused by resistant pneumococci. CONCLUSION: For cases of community-acquired meningococcal meningitis diagnosed in 1999, it would be advisable to prescribe a combination C3G-vancomycin regimen as the first line empirical treatment while waiting for results of susceptibility tests. Certain guidelines proposed by the February 1996 consensus conference on community-acquired purulent meningitis would thus need to be amended.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Optimization of the schedule of gemcitabine-cisplatin combination as induction regimen for patients with biopsy-proven stage IIIa N2 - stage IIIb non-small-cell lung cancer: a prospective phase-II study.

Aim of this study was to define the optimal schedule of gemcitabine (GCB)\cisplatin (CDDP) combination as induction chemotherapy (CHT) in patients with stage IIIa pN2-IIIb non - small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fifty patients with mediastinoscopically-proven stage-IIIa pN2 -IIIb NSCLC were treated with 3 cycles of induction CHT followed by surgery (if staged IIIa) and three-time-daily accelerated radiotherapy. Chemotherapy initially consisted of 3 courses of CDDP 100 mg\m(2) d1 plus GCB 1000 mg\m(2) dd 1,8,15 repeated every 4 weeks, than was modified in CDDP 80 mg\m(2) d1 plus GCB 1250 mg\m(2) dd 1,8 repeated every 3 weeks. Twenty-nine four-week scheduled treatment cycles were firstly administered to 10 patients (pts): treatment-related toxicity, mainly hematological, caused a dose-reduction or treatment omission on day 15 in 65% of cycles. After the protocol was amended, 119 three-week scheduled treatment cycles were administered to 40 pts. Treatment-related toxicity of the new schedule caused a dose-reduction or treatment omission in only 10% of cycles, no patients requiring chemotherapy discontinuation. Thirty-seven out of fifty patients (74%, 95% CI: 60-85%) achieved a partial response, 7 had stable disease and 6 had disease progression. Similar activity was seen with both schedules. One nodal pathological complete remission was observed among the 24 pts who underwent surgery. At present, with a median follow-up of 13 months (mos), 2-year (y) survival of all the 50 pts and of the 24 pts staged IIIa who underwent surgery is estimated as 37% (95% CI: 24-58%) and 47% (95%CI: 27-80%), respectively. When given as induction chemotherapy, a three-week schedule of CDDP plus GCB combination appeared to be effective, with lower toxicity and better compliance than a four-week schedule.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Regulation of animal experimentation: United States of America.

Two national mechanisms regulate the humane treatment of the 20-40 million laboratory animals that are used annually for experimental purposes in the United States each year. They are: the Public Health Service policy (commonly called the National Institutes of Health (NIH) policy) of 1985, and the Animal Welfare Act of 1966 as amended, a federal law. National policies are constantly being strengthened. Until 1984, national policies covered mainly animal husbandry practices. But the 1985 revised NIH policy directly involves the laboratory for the first time by requiring protocol review for humane concerns. Protocol review of proposed experiments is to be conducted by Animal Care and Use Committees--the institutional oversight committees. It is with effective protocol review that the Refinement, Reduction, and Replacement (of Russell and Burch's three Rs) to reduce ethical costs of experiments can be made an everyday reality. With this new authority for Animal Care and Use Committees, and a mandate for broader representation in membership, the revised NIH policy should bring improvements. Proposals are currently being considered by the U.S. Congress to strengthen the Animal Welfare Act. This law is in need of revision since about 90% of the laboratory animals are currently excluded from its coverage. The Scientists Center for Animal Welfare has been active in identifying ways in which national policies can be strengthened. In particular, focus has been made on meaningful protocol review by institutional oversight committees. Some recommendations for effective oversight committees based on recent workshops conducted by the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare are described.

Animal Testing Alternatives↗
PubMed2006

Survival of Salmonella enterica serovar Newport in manure and manure-amended soils.

Salmonella enterica serovar Newport has undergone a rapid epidemic spread in dairy cattle. This provides an efficient mechanism for pathogen amplification and dissemination into the environment through manure spreading on agricultural land. The objective of this study was to determine the survival characteristics of Salmonella serovar Newport in manure and manure-amended soils where the pathogen may be amplified. A multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella serovar Newport strain and a drug-susceptible (DS) strain, both bovine isolates, were inoculated into dairy manure that was incubated under constant temperature and moisture conditions alone or after being mixed with sterilized or nonsterilized soil. Salmonella serovar Newport concentrations increased by up to 400% in the first 1 to 3 days following inoculation, and a trend of steady decline followed. With manure treatment, a sharp decline in cell concentration occurred after day 35, possibly due to microbial antagonism. For all treatments, decreases in Salmonella serovar Newport concentrations over time fit a first-order kinetic model. Log reduction time was 14 to 32 days for 1 log(10), 28 to 64 days for 2 log(10), and 42 to 96 days for 3 log(10) declines in the organisms' populations from initially inoculated concentrations. Most-probable-number monitoring data indicated that the organisms persisted for 184, 332, and 405 days in manure, manure-amended nonsterilized soil, and manure-amended sterilized soil, respectively. The MDR strain and the DS strain had similar survival patterns.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Microbial activity in pig slurry-amended soils under aerobic incubation.

A 120-day aerobic incubation experiment was conducted to study the effects of pig slurry application on soil microbial activity. Pig slurry was added to soil at rates of 0 (control treatment), 150 and 300 m(3) ha(-1). Soil samples were taken after 0, 7, 14, 30, 45, 60, and 120 days of incubation and analyzed for total organic C and microbial biomass C contents, and basal respiration. Most of the organic C applied to soil with pig slurry was readily decomposed within 30 days. During the first phase (0 to 14-30 days), the addition of pig slurry to the soil, especially at the larger rate, increased microbial biomass C content, microbial biomass C/total organic C ratio, basal respiration, and metabolic quotient. The microbial growth and the increase of their activity that these results reflected were not persistent, since the initially measured values in pig slurry-amended soils decreased and reached those of the control soil in a relatively short time.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1984

Primary liver cancer. An Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Trial.

One hundred ninety-two patients with unresectable primary liver cancer studied by members of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) were evaluable in a prospectively randomized clinical trial. Patient discriminants such as performance status were carefully evaluated to assess their influence on prognosis and to evaluate the importance of patient status on response and survival. Patients who were totally bedridden or with signs of overt liver failure were not entered on study. The median survival time for all evaluable previously untreated patients was 17 weeks (19 weeks for North American and European, and 10 weeks for South African black patients). Among the South African patients, however, there was a significantly larger proportion with an initially poor performance status. Prognostic variables (performance status, jaundice, and reduced appetite) dominate any differences among the treatments studied. Among North American and European patients on intravenous (IV) 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) + Methyl-CCNU (MeCCNU) + Adriamycin (ADM, doxorubicin), the 19% response rate is offset by 63% with severe toxicity and a median survival time of only 17 weeks, making this treatment unacceptable clinically. The median survival time of North American and European patients treated with IV 5-FU +/- MeCCNU was 28 weeks in contrast to a median survival time of 12 weeks with ADM (P less than or equal to 0.01). EST 2273 was the ECOG study of patients with primary liver cancer. The results of the first part of the trial were published in 1978. This report updates those findings and reports the results of patients entered subsequently on the second part of that study after it was amended in 1979. With more than 300 evaluable patients in EST 2273, this duet of studies is the largest ever conducted in patients with primary liver cancer, and draws a new baseline from which to measure the disease and its response to treatment.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗
PubMed2005

Hydrogen generation via anaerobic fermentation of paper mill wastes.

The objective of this work was to determine the hydrogen production from paper mill wastes using microbial consortia of solid substrate anaerobic digesters. Inocula from mesophilic, continuous solid substrate anaerobic digestion (SSAD) reactors were transferred to small lab scale, batch reactors. Milled paper (used as a surrogate paper waste) was added as substrate and acetylene or 2-bromoethanesulfonate (BES) was spiked for methanogenesis inhibition. In the first phase of experiments it was found that acetylene at 1% v/v in the headspace was as effective as BES in inhibiting methanogenic activity. Hydrogen gas accumulated in the headspace of the bottles, reaching a plateau. Similar final hydrogen concentrations were obtained for reactors spiked with acetylene and BES. In the second phase of tests the headspace of the batch reactors was flushed with nitrogen gas after the first plateau of hydrogen was reached, and subsequently incubated, with no further addition of inhibitor nor substrate. It was found that hydrogen production resumed and reached a second plateau, although somewhat lower than the first one. This procedure was repeated a third time and an additional amount of hydrogen was obtained. The plateaux and initial rates of hydrogen accumulation decreased in each subsequent incubation cycle. The total cumulative hydrogen harvested in the three cycles was much higher (approx. double) than in the first cycle alone. We coined this procedure as IV-SSAH (intermittently vented solid substrate anaerobic hydrogen generation). Our results point out to a feasible strategy for obtaining higher hydrogen yields from the fermentation of industrial solid wastes, and a possible combination of waste treatment processes consisting of a first stage IV-SSAH followed by a second SSAD stage. Useful products of this approach would be hydrogen, organic acids or methane, and anaerobic digestates that could be used as soil amenders after post-treatment.

Anaerobiosis↗
PubMed1999

Primary renal tumours in cats: 19 cases (1992-1998).

A search from databases of four veterinary colleges and one private referral practice between January 1992 and April 1998 provided 20 cases diagnosed with primary renal neoplasia. Review of these cases revealed 19 primary renal tumours, excluding lymphoma. Of the 20 histologically reviewed cases, the diagnosis was amended in eight. There were 13 renal carcinomas (11 tubular and two tubulopapillary), three transitional cell carcinomas, one malignant nephroblastoma, one haemangiosarcoma and one adenoma. The haemangiosarcoma is, to our knowledge, the first reported case of this tumour type as a primary renal tumour in the cat. Most cats were presented for non-specific clinical signs such as anorexia and weight loss. One cat presented with tumour-associated polycythaemia which has not, to our knowledge, been reported previously. The metastatic rate for cats with complete staging was 64%, and 100% for transitional cell carcinomas.

Adenoma↗
PubMed2005

Mucocele of the appendix: an unusual cause of lower abdominal pain in a patient with ulcerative colitis. A case report and review of literature.

The authors report the case of a 60-year-old male patient. In November 2001 he developed intestinal symptoms of bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain. Colononoscopy and biopsy established the diagnosis of ulcerative colitis (proctosigmoiditis). The disease activity was moderate at the beginning. No significant laboratory alterations were found (including CEA, CA19-9), and mesalazine was started orally. He was in remission until November 2003, when he was admitted to our Outpatient Clinic for upper and right lower abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Colonoscopy found proctosigmoiditis with a moderate activity, gastroscopy revealed chronic gastritis, laboratory data was normal. Treatment was amended with mesalazine clysma and methylprednisolone (16 mg) orally. Symptoms ameliorated; however, right lower abdominal pain persisted. US and CT examination demonstrated a pericecal cystic mass (11 cm x 3.5 cm). At first pericecal abscess was suspected, as the previous US examination (6 mo earlier) had revealed normal findings. Fine needle aspiration was performed. Cytology confirmed the diagnosis of mucocele. The patient underwent partial cecum resection and extirpation of the mucocele. He recovered well and the final histology revealed a cystadenoma of the appendix. Follow up was started. The patient is now free of symptoms. Although primary adenocarcinoma of the appendix is uncommon, the authors emphasize that preoperative diagnosis of an underlying malignancy in a mucocele is important for patient management; however, it is difficult on imaging studies.

Abdominal Pain↗