A new approach on the management of landfill leachate reverse osmosis concentrate: Solar distillation coupled with struvite recovery and biological treatment.

The management of reverse osmosis (RO) concentrate remains a challenging task for operators of Landfill Leachates Treatment Plants. In this article we suggest an integrated treatment scheme for RO concentrate that combines solar distillation, struvite precipitation to reduce ammonia content of the distillate and biological treatment of the supernatant either with mixed cultures of bacteria or with microalgae. Experiments in a pilot-scale solar still, equipped with underfloor heating system, showed that the production rate of the distillate ranged up to 3.

A Remarkable Impact of pH on the Thermo-Responsive Properties of Alginate-Based Composite Hydrogels Incorporating P2VP-PEO Micellar Nanoparticles.

A heterograft copolymer with an alginate backbone, hetero-grafted by polymer pendant chains displaying different lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs), combined with a pH-responsive poly(2-vinyl pyridine)--poly(ethylene oxide) (P2VP--PEO) diblock copolymer forming micellar nanoparticles, was investigated in aqueous media at various pHs. Due to its thermo-responsive side chains, the copolymer forms hydrogels with a thermo-induced sol-gel transition, above a critical temperature, T (thermo-thickening). However, by lowering the pH of the medium in an acidic regime, a remarkable increase in the elasticity of the formulation was observed.

Combined use of strictly anaerobic MBBR and aerobic MBR for municipal wastewater treatment and removal of pharmaceuticals.

An integrated lab-scale wastewater treatment system consisting of an anaerobic Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (AnMBBR) and an aerobic Membrane Bioreactor (AeMBR) in series was used to study the removal and fate of pharmaceuticals during wastewater treatment. Continuous-flow experiments were conducted applying different temperatures to the AnMBBR (Phase A: 35 °C; Phase B: 20 °C), while batch experiments were performed for calculating sorption and biotransformation kinetics. The total removal of major pollutants and target pharmaceuticals was not affected by the temperature of the AnMBBR.

Photochemical Internalization Using Natural Anticancer Drugs, Antimetabolites, and Nanoformulations: A Systematic Study against Breast and Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines.

Photochemical internalization (PCI) is a novel, minimally invasive drug delivery technology that facilitates the delivery of therapeutic molecules into the cytosol of cells. In this work, PCI was utilized in an effort to enhance the therapeutic index of the existing anticancer drugs as well as novel nanοformulations against breast and pancreatic cancer cells. Frontline anticancer drugs were tested with bleomycin as a benchmark PCI control; namely, three vinca alkaloids (vincristine, vinorelbine, and vinblastine), two taxanes (docetaxel and paclitaxel), two antimetabolites (gemcitabine and capecitabine), a combination of taxanes with antimetabolites, and two nano-sized formulations (squalene- and polymer-bound gemcitabine derivatives) were tested in a 3D PCI in vitro model.

Epidemiological Profile among Greek CrossFit Practitioners.

CrossFit (CF) is a popular and rapidly expanding training program in Greece and worldwide. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence on the risk of musculoskeletal injuries related to CF in the Greek population. A self-administered survey of 1224 Greek CF practitioners aged 18 to 59 was conducted and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software.

Shared and Supported Decision Making in Medication in a Mental Health Setting: How Far Have We Come?

Personalised care involves shared decision making (SDM) across all levels including choice in medication. However, there are a number of barriers which prevent its effective implementation in routine mental health settings. Therefore, we undertook a study to benchmark current practice across clinical services of a large urban mental health provider.

Comparing the use of a two-stage MBBR system with a methanogenic MBBR coupled with a microalgae reactor for medium-strength dairy wastewater treatment.

Two systems were compared for medium-strength dairy wastewater treatment. The first comprised a methanogenic Moving Bed Biofilm Reactor (AnMBBR) and an aerobic MBBR (AeMBBR), while the second an AnMBBR and a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with Chlorella sorokiniana. The AnMBBR, under ambient conditions, achieves biogas production sufficient enough to attain energy autonomy.

Detection of profilin in SPT extracts that are supposed to contain it.

Introduction And Objectives: Profilin is a panallergen contained in pollen, plant foods and latex. Although cross-reactivity is expected while performing skin prick tests (SPT) with allergens that contain profilin, this is not always noticed. The purpose of this study was to detect if profilin is contained in the commercial SPT extracts of pollen and plant foods which, in their fresh form, contain determined epitopes of profilin.

In vitro Controlled Release from Solid Pharmaceutical Formulations of two new Adamantane Aminoethers with Antitubercular Activity (I).

The aim of the present investigation was to develop matrix tablet formulations for the in vitro controlled release of 2 new tuberculocidal adamantane aminoethers (compounds and ), congeneric to the adamantane derivative , which is in final clinical trials, using carefully selected excipients, such as polyvinylpyrrolidone, sodium alginate and lactose. The tablets were prepared using the direct compression method and dissolution experiments were conducted using the US Pharmacopoeia type II apparatus (paddle method) in gastric and intestinal fluids. The results confirm that both analogues, albeit more lipophilic than , showed satisfactory in vitro release characteristics from solid pharmaceutical formulations.

Elemental mercury toxicity due to aspiration following intentional massive ingestion.

Deliberate poisoning with intentional ingestion of elemental mercury is reported not to result in systemic toxicity due to minimal absorption from the gastrointestinal tract. We report a case of a 43 year old male who intentionally ingested 200 ml elemental mercury which resulted in abdominal pain and vomiting. The patient subsequently aspirated globules of mercury which was confirmed on chest x-ray and his blood mercury levels were markedly raised.

Expression of adhesion molecules during normal pregnancy.

We review the available information regarding the role of adhesive molecules as potential participants in the complex events of fertilization, embryogenesis, implantation and placentation. Studies that specifically relate to the expression and modulation of adhesive molecules in fertilization, embryogenesis, and implantation have been identified in the literature and by Medline searches. Cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions play a critical role in various developmental processes and in the cascade of events that lead to implantation and to the normal development of the fetus during pregnancy.

Leukocytoclastic vasculitis: is propranolol implicated?

Drugs frequently cause cutaneous adverse reactions. The suspected agent is sometimes difficult to identify, especially in patients receiving multidrug treatment and with underlying illnesses that may contribute to the clinical picture. In our patient, propranolol-induced leukocytoclastic vasculitis was diagnosed by exclusion.

Proarrhythmic effects of reactive hypoglycemia.

A patient with refractory atrioventricular nodal reentry tachycardia is reported in whom it was possible to document that reactive hypoglycemia was the trigger for aggravation of arrhythmia. Over a period of 6 years, a series of electrophysiological studies revealed that, when the patient was in a hypoglycemic state, initiation of tachycardia was easy and most importantly that tachycardla termination by extra-stimulus pacing always failed. Furthermore, atrial fibrillation was inducible or spontaneously occurred only when the blood glucose level was reduced by IV insulin administration.

Electrophysiologic studies of the heart in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We investigated the electrophysiological properties of the heart in patients with definite or classical rheumatoid arthritis using programmed electrical stimulation techniques. Twelve patients with rheumatoid arthritis and without evidence of organic heart disease or arrhythmia detectable with serial electrocardiograms and 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring were compared with 12 control subjects. Stimulation was performed from the high right atrium and right ventricular apex at a drive cycle length of 600 msec and the recording sites included high right atrium, atrioventricular junction and distal coronary sinus.

A clinical pharmacological comparison of diclofensine (Ro 8-4650) with nomifensine and amitriptyline in normal human volunteers.

1 Ten healthy male volunteers participated in a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover comparison of the pharmacodynamic profiles of single oral doses of diclofensine 25 mg and 50 mg, nomifensine 75 mg and amitriptyline 50 mg. 2 Diclofensine did not influence salivary flow or consistently affect pupil diameter and had no significant effect on subjective measurements of sedation and mood. It had no effect on reaction time, or on critical flicker frequency.

Acute haemodynamic effects of a new calcium antagonist, nicardipine, in man. A comparison with nifedipine.

1 The acute cardiovascular response to nicardipine was investigated using non invasive techniques in normal subjects. 2 In six subjects, i.v.

Pharmacokinetic interaction between theophylline and erythromycin.

1 The pharmacokinetics of a single intravenous dose of theophylline alone and during the fifth day of treatment with 500 mg erythromycin every 8 h was studied in six healthy subjects. 2 At the same time the pharmacokinetics of erythromycin at steady-state on the fourth day of the treatment (alone) and the fifth day (during the theophylline co-administration) were also studied. 3 Mean +/- s.

Should erythromycin dose be altered in haemodialysis patients?

Erythromycin kinetics were studied in 17 patients with end stage renal failure treated with maintenance haemodialysis and 9 normal volunteers to discover if dialysis patients needed a modified dose. The elimination half life in dialysis patients (on dialysis days) was similar to that reported in normal subjects. Only small amounts of drug appeared in the dialysate, no patient loosing more than 9 mg in one dialysis.