Aerobic versus Anaerobic Microbial Degradation of Clothianidin under Simulated California Rice Field Conditions.

Microbial degradation of clothianidin was characterized under aerobic and anaerobic California rice field conditions. Rate constants (k) and half-lives (DT50) were determined for aerobic and anaerobic microcosms, and an enrichment experiment was performed at various nutrient conditions and pesticide concentrations. Temperature effects on anaerobic degradation rates were determined at 22 ± 2 and 35 ± 2 °C. Microbial growth was assessed in the presence of various pesticide concentrations, and distinct colonies were isolated and identified. Slow aerobic degradation was observed, but anaerobic degradation occurred rapidly at both 25 and 35 °C. Transformation rates and DT50 values in flooded soil at 35 ± 2 °C (k = -7.16 × 10(-2) ± 3.08 × 10(-3) day(-1), DT50 = 9.7 days) were significantly faster than in 25 ± 2 °C microcosms (k= -2.45 × 10(-2) ± 1.59 × 10(-3) day(-1), DT50 = 28.3 days). At the field scale, biodegradation of clothianidin will vary with extent of oxygenation.

Back to basics: informing the public of co-morbid physical health problems in those with mental illness.

OBJECTIVE: Those with mental illness are at increased risk of physical health problems. The current study aimed to examine the information available online to the Australian public about the increased risk and consequences of physical illness in those with mental health problems and the services available to address these co-morbidities. METHODS: A structured online search was conducted with the search engine Google Australia (www.google.com.au) using generic search terms 'mental health information Australia', 'mental illness information Australia', 'depression', 'anxiety', and 'psychosis'. The direct content of websites was examined for information on the physical co-morbidities of mental illness. All external links on high-profile websites [the first five websites retrieved under each search term (n = 25)] were examined for information pertaining to physical health. RESULTS: Only 4.2% of websites informing the public about mental health contained direct content information about the increased risk of physical co-morbidities. The Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing site did not contain any information. Of the high-profile websites, 62% had external links to resources about physical health and 55% had recommendations or resources for physical health. Most recommendations were generic. CONCLUSIONS: Relative to the seriousness of this problem, there is a paucity of information available to the public about the increased physical health risks associated with mental illness. Improved public awareness is the starting point of addressing this health inequity.

Preliminary investigation of thiamine and alcohol intake in clinical and healthy samples.

Insufficient thiamine intake during heavy alcohol dependence has been well established as a precursor to alcohol-related brain damage, including Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. This study compared the alcohol and thiamine intakes of 35 alcohol-dependent patients upon admission for detoxification with 49 healthy young undergraduates. Subjects were interviewed using a retrospective diary that recorded alcohol and food and vitamin consumption for the previous seven days. As predicted, the clinical group consumed significantly less thiamine than the healthy group, and well below the minimum safe daily intakes. Findings have implications for the prevention of alcohol-related brain damage and public health policy.

Detecting thiamine in beer.

AIMS: To ascertain whether thiamine HCl could be detected in beer using a double-blind triangular taste test. METHODS: Three 100 ml samples of beer to which 10 or 0 mg of thiamine were added were presented in counterbalanced order to 49 volunteers. Subjects consumed and rated each sample separately for taste and appearance and chose which beer was different. RESULTS: Thiamine-enriched beer could not be reliably distinguished from normal beer. However, a significant perceptual taste difference was found, with participants rating thiamine-fortified beer as more bitter than normal beer. CONCLUSIONS: Thiamine was found to alter the perception of bitterness of beer, but thiamine-fortified beer could not be reliably distinguished from normal beer.