A difficult coexistence: Resolving the iron-induced nitrification delay in groundwater filters.

Rapid sand filters (RSF) are an established and widely applied technology for the removal of dissolved iron (Fe) and ammonium (NH) among other contaminants in groundwater treatment. Most often, biological NHoxidation is spatially delayed and starts only upon complete Fe depletion. However, the mechanism(s) responsible for the inhibition of NHoxidation by Fe or its oxidation (by)products remains elusive, hindering further process control and optimization.

Correction to: Health risks in international container and bulk cargo transport due to volatile toxic compounds.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1186/s12995-015-0059-4.].

Health risks in international container and bulk cargo transport due to volatile toxic compounds.

To ensure the preservation and quality of the goods, physical (i.e. radiation) or chemical pest control is needed.

Nonoccupational and occupational exposure to isocyanates.

Purpose Of Review: This review aims to update the knowledge on the burden of disease due to exposure to isocyanates. Health effects of isocyanates and their major products, polyurethanes, are mainly determined by sensitization to isocyanates. Recent studies on the genetic factors to explain individual susceptibility to sensitization are reviewed.

[Work-related disease].

Work-related health complaints occur frequently. Occupational health departments and primary and secondary care physicians are confronted with these patients. Awareness of work-related disease is crucial.

Glycaemic control without weight gain in insulin requiring type 2 diabetes: 1-year results of the GAME regimen.

Introduction: Weight gain appears to be unavoidable in patients with type 2 diabetes who are switched from oral agents to insulin therapy. Peripheral hyperinsulinism induced by the use of long-acting insulin may be the key to explain this adverse effect.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate whether a regimen free of long-acting insulin can provide long-term glycaemic control without causing weight gain.

Pneumomediastinum as a cause of acute chest pain postpartum.

Pneumomediastinum can easily be mistaken for a pulmonary embolus or myocardial infarction. We describe herein a case of pneumomediastinum postpartum. A primigravida complained five-hours postpartum of acute chest pain and mild dyspnea.

Letrozole normalizes serum testosterone in severely obese men with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.

Background: Morbid obesity is associated with increased estradiol production as a result of aromatase-dependent conversion of testosterone to estradiol. The elevated serum estradiol levels may inhibit pituitary LH secretion to such extent that hypogonadotropic hypogonadism can result. Normalization of the disturbed estradiol-testosterone balance may be beneficial to reverse the adverse effects of hypogonadism.

Prevention of weight gain in type 2 diabetes requiring insulin treatment.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes who are failing on oral agents will generally gain a large amount of body fat when switched to insulin treatment. This adverse effect may be related to chronic hyperinsulinism induced by long-acting insulin compounds.

Aim: To test the concept that regain of glycaemic control can be achieved without causing weight gain, using a regimen free of long-acting insulin.

Glomerular hyperfiltration in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus is correlated with enhanced growth hormone secretion.

Enhanced GH secretion and hyperglycemia are suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of glomerular hyperfiltration in insulin dependent diabetes mellitus. In this study we measured the GH response to GHRH (1 microgram/kg body weight), metabolic control, and renal function in 44 patients in order to explore a possible association between these parameters. Hyperfiltration [glomerular filtration rate (GFR) > 130 ml/min/1.

Different hepatobiliary effects of oral and transdermal estradiol in postmenopausal women.

Estrogen-replacement therapy is important for the prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis. However, oral synthetic and conjugated estrogens increase biliary cholesterol saturation index and risk of gallstone disease. To examine whether transdermal estrogen administration could avoid these adverse effects, 17 postmenopausal women were treated with transdermal estradiol (Estraderm TTS; Ciba-Geigy, Arnhem, The Netherlands), 100 micrograms/day for 4 weeks, and after 1 month without therapy, with oral estradiol (Progynova; Schering, Weesp, The Netherlands), 2 mg/day for 4 weeks.

Twice daily insulin therapy in patients with type 2 diabetes and secondary failure to sulphonylureas.

In 26 type 2 diabetic patients with failure to diet and sulphonylureas (fasting blood glucose levels greater than 8.0 mmol/l) the effects of insulin therapy on blood glucose control, islet B-cell function and plasma lipids were studied. Age was 58 +/- 11 (SD) yr, median duration of diabetes 6.

A randomized crossover study of sulphonylurea and insulin treatment in patients with type 2 diabetes poorly controlled on dietary therapy.

In 13 non-obese patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus who failed to achieve adequate blood glucose control on dietary treatment (fasting blood glucose 13.4 +/- 2.7 (+/- SD) mmol l-1, glycosylated haemoglobin 13.

Factitious diabetes mellitus as part of Munchausen's syndrome.

The patient presented here was known to have been suffering from diabetes mellitus for 3 yr, when the suspicion arose that we were dealing with a factitious disease. The coincidence of several other factitious illnesses led us to the diagnosis of Munchausen's syndrome, self-inflicted diabetes mellitus being part of this syndrome.

Limitations of diet therapy in patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Unlabelled: Sixty-one patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and fasting blood glucose of 12.0 +/- 0.6 mmol/l were studied before and after dietary treatment in an outpatient setting.

Intestinal lymphangiectasia in systemic sclerosis.

Protein-losing gastroenteropathy is a well-recognized entity in systemic sclerosis, for which several mechanisms have been postulated. Acquired intestinal lymphangiectasia as a cause of increased intestinal protein loss has not previously been described in the literature. We report the first case of acquired intestinal lymphangiectasia in systemic sclerosis.

Studies on insulin secretion by monolayer cultures of normal and tumorous human pancreatic cells. Effects of glucose, somatostatin and SMS 201-995.

Recently, somatostatin analogs have been introduced which can be used clinically in the treatment of tumorous or functional hypoglycemia. In the present study we investigated in vitro the regulation, the degree of autonomy and the sensitivity to natural somatostatin and its analog SMS 201-995 of insulin secretion by monolayer cultures of human pancreatic cells obtained from patients with insulinomas and from a newborn with nesidioblastosis. All cultures released insulin upon the addition of dibutyryl-cAMP and calcium, demonstrating their intact viability.

Disparate effects of ACTH (1-24) and corticosterone on lipoprotein lipase in rat adipose tissue.

The effects of corticosterone and ACTH(1-24) on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity of rat epididymal fat tissue were studied. Hypercorticism induced by s.c.

Effects of synacthen on lipid metabolism in the perfused epididymal fat pad of the rat.

Rats were treated with Synacthen, a synthetic corticotrophin analogue, to induce hypercorticism. The epididymal fat pad was selectively cannulated and perfused. In fasted rats acetone ether powder lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity rose during treatment to levels found in fed controls.

Glucose tolerance during long term treatment with a somatostatin analogue.

Seven patients with active acromegaly were treated with SMS 201-995, an analogue of somatostatin, for one year, the maximum dose being 100 micrograms three times a day. Three patients had impaired glucose tolerance before treatment, due to insulin resistance in two and insulin deficiency in one. In all patients treatment with the analogue slightly increased postprandial glucose concentrations and suppressed insulin concentrations for two to two and a half hours after each injection; growth hormone concentrations decreased progressively with treatment.

On the use of a new somatostatin analogue in the treatment of hypoglycaemia in patients with insulinoma.

A novel potent analogue of somatostatin, the octapepide SMS 201-995 was tested as a therapeutic manoeuvre to prevent hypoglycaemia in patients with insulinoma. We investigated the acute effects of a single 50 micrograms dose of the analogue administered s.c.

A comparison among the growth hormone-lowering effects in acromegaly of the somatostatin analog SMS 201-995, bromocriptine, and the combination of both drugs.

The acute GH inhibitory effects of 50 micrograms SMS 201-995, a somatostatin analog, and 2.5 mg bromocriptine were compared in 17 acromegalic patients. SMS 201-995 suppressed plasma GH levels after 2-6 h to 5 micrograms/liter or less in 10 of these 17 patients, while bromocriptine did the same in only 5 of them.