Anaerobic/aerobic treatment of coloured textile effluents using sequencing batch reactors.

Conventional biological wastewater treatment plants do not easily degrade the dyes and polyvinyl alcohols (PVOH) in textile effluents. Results are reported on the possible advantages of anaerobic/aerobic cometabolism in sequenced redox reactors. A six phase anaerobic/aerobic sequencing laboratory scale batch reactor was developed to treat a synthetic textile effluent. The wastewater included PVOH from desizing and an azo dye (Remazol Black). The reactor removed 66% of the applied total organic carbon (load F: M 0.15) compared to 76% from a control reactor without dye. Colour removal was 94% but dye metabolites caused reactor instability. Aromatic amines from the anaerobic breakdown of the azo dyes were not completely mineralised by the aerobic phase. Breakdown of PVOH by the reactor (20-30%) was not as good as previous reports with entirely aerobic cultures. The anaerobic cultures were able to tolerate the oxygen and methane continued to be produced but there was a deterioration in settlement.

Traumatic retropharyngeal hematoma: a case report.

We describe a case of retropharyngeal hematoma after a cervical hyperextension injury in an elderly man. Progressive hoarseness, dysphagia, and dyspnea were the early signs that necessitated oral endotracheal intubation and, ultimately, tracheostomy. The hematoma was explored and drained through a lateral cervical approach, and a bleeding vessel in a small tear in the anterior spinous ligament was noted and cauterized. The patient recovered uneventfully.

Incidence of adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus in chronic otitis media with effusion using the polymerase chain reaction.

The aim of this study is to investigate the role of adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus in the cause of chronic otitis media with effusion by use of the polymerase chain reaction for detection. The polymerase chain reaction has proved to be more sensitive and specific than viral cultures and immunoassays in the detection of viruses in other specimens. Adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus were chosen because these viruses have been the most commonly isolated viruses in middle ear effusions in studies using other techniques. The effusions (132 total) were sterilely collected from 88 children undergoing myringotomy and ventilation tube placement for chronic otitis media with effusion. Nine (6.8%) specimens were positive for adenovirus by the polymerase chain reaction, and 13 (9.9%) were positive for respiratory syncytial virus by the polymerase chain reaction. Only one specimen was positive for adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus by viral culture and immunofluorescence, respectively. Our results show that the polymerase chain reaction can be used to detect adenovirus and respiratory syncytial virus in chronic middle ear effusions and that PCR is more sensitive than viral culture and immunofluorescence techniques.

Epistaxis: a comparison of treatment.

Epistaxis is a common condition as well as a frequent otolaryngologic emergency, with up to 60% of people experiencing one episode in their lifetime and 6% seeking medical attention. Treatment is controversial, with many options being available. We retrospectively reviewed the hospital course and management of 65 patients who experienced epistaxis from January 1, 1986, to October 31, 1991, to compare medical and surgical treatment methods. Fifty-one patients were managed medically. Of these, 36 patients required one treatment (group 1), 10 required multiple treatments (group 2), and seven required multiple admissions (group 3). The mean lengths of hospitalization were 3.27, 4.90, and 5.57 days respectively. Fourteen patients were managed surgically. The preoperative stay of nine patients who underwent unsuccessful medical management at our institution (group 4) was 3.9 days, with an average postoperative stay of 7.3 days. The difference in length of stay was statistically significant between surgical and medical groups and the postoperative stay of group 4 was different from the length of stay of group 1 patients. The remaining five patients were initially treated elsewhere (group 5). Seventeen (33.3%) medical and only 1 (7%) surgical patients underwent unsuccessful initial therapy. Complication rates were not statistically different for each group. Transfusion requirements were evaluated as a possible predictive factor. Eighteen patients (35.3%) in the medically managed group required transfusions, compared with 11 patients (78.6%) treated surgically (p < 0.01). The medical group received an average of 0.91 units, compared to the surgical group that received 2.93 units preoperatively (p < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Steroid metabolism by epidermal keratinocytes.

The metabolism of various radiolabeled steroids by cultured human epidermal keratinocytes was studied in an attempt to identify the steroid-metabolizing enzymes present in these cells. Sulfatase activity was demonstrated in keratinocytes with either E1S or DS as substrates. The products of sulfatase action were E1 and DHEA, respectively. The specific activity of the enzyme was approximately 5- to 14-fold greater with E1S as the substrate compared with DS, and the rates of hydrolysis were linear with incubation time up to 3 h. The metabolism of DHEA by the keratinocyte 17 beta-HSOR-catalyzed reaction resulted in the predominant formation of 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol. The rate of formation of 5-androstene-3 beta,17 beta-diol was linear with time of incubation up to 18 h, and the specific activity of 17 beta-HSOR, with DHEA as the substrate, was greater in keratinocytes maintained in culture for 4 weeks compared with keratinocytes kept in culture for 1 week. Androstenedione was a minor product of DHEA metabolism. The metabolism of DHT by epidermal keratinocytes resulted in the formation of 5 alpha-androstanedione, 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol, 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol, androsterone, and isoandrosterone: the rates of formation of 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol and 5 alpha-androstane-3 beta,17 beta-diol were linear with incubation time up to 24 h, and the specific activities of 3 alpha-HSOR and 3 beta-HSOR did not appear to change with keratinocyte time in culture up to 3 weeks. The metabolism of DOC by epidermal keratinocytes resulted in 5 alpha-dihydrodeoxycorticosterone production: the rate of formation of this metabolite was linear with incubation time up to 4 h. The metabolism of E1 by epidermal keratinocytes yielded E2, and that of E2 resulted in the formation of E1. The rate of E1 formation from E2, was approximately 10-fold greater than the rate of formation of E2 from E1; these rates were linear with incubation time up to 4 h. Epidermal keratinocytes maintained in culture did not metabolize androstenedione to either E1 or E2, and pregnenolone was not metabolized by these cells. This study serves to ascertain that epidermal keratinocytes express steroid 5 alpha-reductase, 17 beta-HSOR, 3 beta-HSOR, 3 alpha-HSOR, 3 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase-delta 5----4-isomerase, and sulfatase activities.

Androstenedione metabolism in human lung fibroblasts.

Human lung fibroblasts in culture metabolized [3H]androstenedione to a number of different compounds, including testosterone, 5 alpha-androstanedione, androsterone, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, isoandrosterone, and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,-17 beta-diol. The major products were 5 alpha-androstanedione and testosterone. Estrone, estradiol-17 beta and 5 beta-reduced steroids were not formed. The production rates of testosterone and 5 alpha-androstanedione from [3H]androstenedione by lung fibroblasts were studied both as a function of incubation time and substrate concentration. The rates of formation of testosterone and 5 alpha-androstanedione remained linear with time up to 4 h. The apparent Km of human lung fibroblast 5 alpha-reductase was 1 microM, and that of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase was 11 microM. The findings of this study suggest that mesenchyma may contribute to the metabolism of androstenedione in human lung tissue.

Epidermal keratinocytes: a source of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone production in human skin.

The major products of testosterone, androstenedione, and progesterone metabolism by human epidermal keratinocytes are 5 alpha-reduced steroids, viz. 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, 5 alpha-androstanedione, and 5 alpha-dihydroprogesterone, respectively. The rates of metabolite formation by these cells were linear with incubation time up to 3 h. The apparent Km of keratinocyte 5 alpha-reductase was 1.3 microM for androstenedione and 1.5 microM for progesterone. 5 alpha-Reductase activity was found only in particulate subcellular fractions of a homogenate of epidermal keratinocytes when assayed with tritium-labeled progesterone as the substrate and NADPH as the cofactor. In addition to 5 alpha-reductase activity, other enzymatic activities found in epidermal keratinocytes were 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase and 3 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase. These enzymes were expressed in the formation of androstenedione from testosterone, testosterone from androstenedione, isoandrosterone from androstenedione, and 3 beta-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one from progesterone. The apparent Km of 17 beta-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase for androstenedione in epidermal keratinocytes was 10 microM. When measured at weekly intervals, the rates of product formation from testosterone, androstenedione, or progesterone by cultured epidermal keratinocytes increased several-fold with advancing time in culture up to 3 weeks. The results of these studies suggest that epidermal keratinocytes are a major site of synthesis of biologically potent androgens in human skin, viz. testosterone from androstenedione and 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone from testosterone. Skin is a target organ for 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone action, and thus, the local formation of 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone may play an important role in the regulation of proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes.

The loss of a large DNA fragment is associated with an aerial mycelium negative (Amy-) phenotype of Streptomyces cattleya.

Hybridization of various Streptomyces cattleya aerial mycelium negative (Amy-) mutants with a probe containing the gene for argininosuccinate synthetase (pTG17) has revealed the presence of two different types of mutants (stable and unstable). Stable mutants appear to have lost all or part of the region covered by the probe, while the unstable mutants demonstrate no detectable changes in this region. In one group of stable mutants (those demonstrating a partial loss of sequences hybridizing to the probe), a 4.17 kb extrachromosomal element was detected, which hybridized with the pTG17 probe. The significance of this finding is discussed with reference to the genetic instability of the genus Streptomyces.

Metabolism of androsterone and 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol in human lung tissue and in pulmonary endothelial cells in culture.

The metabolism of [3H]androsterone and [3H] 5 alpha-androstane-3 alpha,17 beta-diol ( [3H] 3 alpha-diol) was studied in slices of human lung tissue and cultures of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells. Lung tissue metabolized [3H]androsterone (0.25 microM) to 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione (30.3 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), isoandrosterone (0.7 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (5 alpha-DHT; 0.1 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), 3 alpha-diol (0.1 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), and two polar metabolites. Pulmonary arterial endothelial cells produced the same metabolites of [3H]androsterone (0.083 microM), with the exception of the polar compounds [5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione (1.3 pmol mg-1 protein h-1), isoandrosterone (0.1 pmol mg-1 protein h-1), 5 alpha-DHT (0.2 pmol mg-1 protein h-1), and 3 alpha-diol (0.2 pmol mg-1 protein h-1)]. Thus, the principal metabolite of [3H]androsterone in both lung tissue and endothelial cells was 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione. Human lung tissue metabolized [3H]3 alpha-diol (0.28 microM) to 5 alpha-DHT (8.8 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), androsterone (2.2 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione (0.8 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), isoandrosterone (0.1 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1), and four polar metabolites (0.2 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue h-1). 5 alpha-DHT was the principal metabolite of [3H]3 alpha-diol within the first hour of incubation, but the concentration of this androgen declined thereafter to 3.6 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue after 4 h of incubation. This decline was correlated with increased 5 alpha-androstane-3,17-dione synthesis (6.7 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue 4 h-1). Androsterone formation from [3H]3 alpha-diol, however, was linear with time of incubation for 4 h (8.9 pmol 100 mg-1 tissue 4 h-1). The formation of these products demonstrates that the principal 5 alpha-reduced-C19-steroid-metabolizing enzymes in human lung are 3 alpha-hydroxysteroid oxidoreductase.