Microbial community structure and metabolic profile of anthropized freshwater tributary channels from La Plata River, Argentina, to develop sustainable remediation strategies.

Microbial communities from freshwater sediments are involved in biogeochemical cycles and they can be modified by physical and chemical changes in the environment. Linking the microbial community structure (MCS) with physicochemistry of freshwater courses allows a better understanding of its ecology and can be useful to assess the ecological impact generated by human activity. The MCS of tributary channels from La Plata River affected by oil refinery (C, D, and E) and one also by urban discharges (C) was studied. For this purpose, 16S rRNA metabarcoding analysis, in silico metagenome functional prediction, and the hydrocarbon degradation potential (in silico predictions of hydrocarbon-degrading genes and their quantification by qPCR) of the MCS were studied. Principal coordinate analysis revealed that the MCS was different between sites, and it was not structured by the hydrocarbon content. Site C showed physicochemical characteristics, bacterial taxa, and an in silico functional prediction related to fermentative/heterotrophic metabolism. Site D, despite having higher concentration of hydrocarbon, presented autotrophic, syntrophic, and methanogenic pathways commonly involved in natural processes in anoxic sediments. Site E showed and intermediate autotrophic/heterotrophic behavior. The hydrocarbon degradation potential showed no positive correlation between the hydrocarbon-degrading genes quantified and predicted. The results suggest that the hydrocarbon concentration in the sites was not enough selection pressure to structure the bacterial community composition. Understanding which is the variable that structures the bacterial community composition is essential for monitoring and designing of sustainable management strategies for contaminated freshwater ecosystems.

Impact of pyrometallurgical slags on sunflower growth, metal accumulation and rhizosphere microbial communities.

Metallurgical exploitation originates metal-rich by-products termed slags, which are often disposed in the environment being a source of heavy metal pollution. Despite the environmental risk that this may pose for living organisms, little is known about the impact of slags on biotic components of the ecosystem like plants and rhizosphere microbial communities. In this study, metal-rich (Cu, Pb, Zn) granulated slags (GS) derived from Cu production process, were used for a leaching test in the presence of the soil pore solution, showing that soil solution enhanced the release of Cu from GS. A pot experiment was conducted using as growing substrate for sunflower (Helianthus annuus) a 50% w/w mix of an agricultural soil and GS. Bioavailability of metals in soil was, in increasing order: Pb < Zn < Cu. Sunflower was able to grow in the presence of GS and accumulated metals preferentially in above-ground tissues. Microbial diversity was assessed in rhizosphere and bulk soil using community level physiological profiling (CLPP) and 16S rRNA gene based denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analyses, which demonstrated a shift in the diversity of microbial communities induced by GS. Overall, these results suggest that metallurgical wastes should not be considered inert when dumped in the soil. Implications from this study are expected to contribute to the development of sustainable practices for the management of pyrometallurgical slags, possibly involving a phytomanagement approach.

Citric acid- and Tween(®) 80-assisted phytoremediation of a co-contaminated soil: alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) performance and remediation potential.

A pot experiment was designed to assess the phytoremediation potential of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) in a co-contaminated (i.e., heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons) soil and the influence of citric acid and Tween(®) 80 (polyethylene glycol sorbitan monooleate), applied individually and combined together, for their possible use in chemically assisted phytoremediation. The results showed that alfalfa plants could tolerate and grow in a co-contaminated soil. Over a 90-day experimental time, shoot and root biomass increased and negligible plant mortality occurred. Heavy metals were uptaken by alfalfa to a limited extent, mostly by plant roots, and their concentration in plant tissues were in the following order: Zn > Cu > Pb. Microbial population (alkane-degrading microorganisms) and activity (lipase enzyme) were enhanced in the presence of alfalfa with rhizosphere effects of 9.1 and 1.5, respectively, after 90 days. Soil amendments did not significantly enhance plant metal concentration or total uptake. In contrast, the combination of citric acid and Tween(®) 80 significantly improved alkane-degrading microorganisms (2.4-fold increase) and lipase activity (5.3-fold increase) in the rhizosphere of amended plants, after 30 days of experiment. This evidence supports a favorable response of alfalfa in terms of tolerance to a co-contaminated soil and improvement of rhizosphere microbial number and activity, additionally enhanced by the joint application of citric acid and Tween(®) 80, which could be promising for future phytoremediation applications.

Comparative bioremediation of heavy metals and petroleum hydrocarbons co-contaminated soil by natural attenuation, phytoremediation, bioaugmentation and bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation.

Biological remediation technologies are an environmentally friendly approach for the treatment of polluted soils. This study evaluated through a pot experiment four bioremediation strategies: a) natural attenuation, b) phytoremediation with alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), c) bioaugmentation with Pseudomonas aeruginosa and d) bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation, for the treatment of a co-contaminated soil presenting moderate levels of heavy metals (Cu, Pb and Zn at 87, 100 and 110mgkg(-1) DW, respectively) and petroleum hydrocarbons (3800mgkg(-1) DW). As demonstrated by plant biomass and selected physiological parameters alfalfa plants were able to tolerate and grow in the co-contaminated soil, especially when soil was inoculated with P. aeruginosa, which promoted plant growth (56% and 105% increase for shoots and roots, respectively) and appeared to alleviate plant stress. The content of heavy metals in alfalfa plants was limited and followed the order: Zn>Cu>Pb. Heavy metals were mainly concentrated in plant roots and were poorly translocated, favouring their stabilization in the root zone. Bioaugmentation of planted soil with P. aeruginosa generally led to a decrease of plant metal concentration and translocation. The highest degree of total petroleum hydrocarbon removal was obtained for bioaugmentation-assisted phytoremediation treatment (68%), followed by bioaugmentation (59%), phytoremediation (47%) and natural attenuation (37%). The results of this study demonstrated that the combined use of plant and bacteria was the most advantageous option for the treatment of the present co-contaminated soil, as compared to natural attenuation, bioaugmentation or phytoremediation applied alone.

Phytotoxicity of citric acid and Tween® 80 for potential use as soil amendments in enhanced phytoremediation.

Enhanced phytoremediation adding biodegradable amendments like low molecular weight organic acids and surfactants is an interesting area of current research to overcome the limitation that represents low bioavailability of pollutants in soils. However, prior to their use in assisted phytoremediation, it is necessary to test if amendments per se exert any toxic effect to plants and to optimize their application mode. In this context, the present study assessed the effects of citric acid and Tween® 80 (polyethylene glycol sorbitan monooleate) on the development of alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plants, as influenced by their concentration and frequency of application, in order to evaluate the feasibility for their future use in enhanced phytoremediation of multi-contaminated soils. The results showed that citric acid negatively affected plant germination, while it did not have any significant effect on biomass or chlorophyll content. In turn, Tween® 80 did not affect plant germination and showed a trend to increase biomass, as well as it did not have any significant effect on chlorophyll levels. M. sativa appeared to tolerate citric acid and Tween® 80 at the tested concentrations, applied weekly. Consequently, citric acid and Tween® 80 could potentially be utilized to assist phytoremediation of contaminated soils vegetated with M. sativa.

Edge effects in the directionally biased distribution of Choristoneura rosaceana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in apple orchards.

Edge effect tests have been used in a number of studies on obliquebanded leafroller, Choristoneura rosaceana (Harris), to test for evidence of mated female immigration into pheromone-treated orchards. This type of test compares obliquebanded leafroller presence or activity around the perimeter of an orchard against presence or activity in the interior. Higher numbers detected around the edges of an orchard would indicate higher levels of flight activity at the edge, a pattern that could be generated by high levels of immigration. Recent work has shown that the spatial distribution of recaptured obliquebanded leafroller adults released from a single location can be directionally biased, which could obscure the ability to detect an edge effect. To test this theory, data from an orchard study conducted in 1991 that found no significant edge effect was reanalyzed. When we accounted for the directional bias in the distribution of first-generation mated female moths, we found an edge effect with significantly more mated females captured in the edge traps than in the center or mid-interior traps. No edge effect was found when the directional bias was ignored. In addition, second-generation males and mated females both showed a significant edge effect that had not been detected in the original analysis, which had combined both first- and second-generation data.

Methadone response in advanced cancer patients with pain followed at home.

Concerns about the safety of therapy with methadone, which may arise because of its pharmacokinetic characteristics and inappropriate dosing, may deter clinicians from using this drug, especially in elderly patients. Experience is accumulating that the drug may be used safely and successfully if low doses are given initially and care is taken in the titration of the dose against the pain. A prospective study was carried out in a consecutive sample of 45 advanced cancer patients followed at home, who had never received other strong opioids for their pain. Patients were treated with an oral liquid preparation of methadone, which was administered 2-3 times daily, according to need. Doses were kept as low as possible and were titrated to achieve acceptable analgesia with minimal adverse effects. The methadone starting dose (MSD) at referral, the maximum dose of methadone (MMD), the days of methadone treatment, the use of other nonopioid analgesics, symptoms associated with methadone therapy, pain intensity, and pain mechanism were recorded. Methadone escalation index percentage (MEI%) and methadone escalation index in mg (MEI mg) were calculated from these parameters. No correlations between age and gender, and MSD, MMD, days on methadone, VAS and symptoms were found. No significant differences were found in pain mechanisms, age, and other parameters, including methadone-related symptoms. Treatment of pain with methadone provides important support to patients with cancer followed at home and the risks are low with individually titrated doses, even in older patients or in the presence of a neuropathic pain mechanism.

Analgesic effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in cancer pain due to somatic or visceral mechanisms.

The role of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is well established in the treatment of cancer pain. This class of drugs is considered particularly effective in pain due to somatic mechanisms, although proof of this observation is lacking. To ascertain whether NSAIDs are more effective in specific nociceptive forms of cancer pain, they were administered alone or added to opioids in 32 patients with a sole pain mechanism, somatic pain due to bone metastases (17 patients) or visceral pain (15 patients), respectively. Pain intensity, mean doses of opioids used, and symptoms were recorded after starting NSAID. A significant reduction in pain intensity was found at 3, 7, and 14 days. No differences in pain intensity between the two groups were observed. However, patients with a visceral mechanism required higher opioid doses after a week of treatment. No differences in adverse effects were reported. NSAIDs may be useful drugs in the management of cancer pain, regardless of the mechanism of pain involved. The incidence of adverse effects during prolonged administration should be assessed in future studies.

Pest status of American plum borer (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) and fruit tree borer control with synthetic insecticides and entomopathogenic nematodes in New York State.

Surveys were conducted in 1994 and 1995 to determine the pest status of the American plum borer, Euzophera semifuneralis (Walker), in New York State stone fruit crops. These surveys indicate that American plum borer is the most important of the wood-boring insects infesting tart cherries and also is an important pest in peaches suffering from canker diseases. It is not prevalent in plums or in healthy peaches. Trials to control American plum borer were conducted in tart cherry and peach by using chlorpyrifos, esfenvalerate, and 2 commercially available formulations of entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema feltiae (Filipjev) and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora (Poinar). Two applications of chlorpyrifos, timed at petal fall and at the beginning of the 2nd flight, effectively controlled the pest. One application of chlorpyrifos applied at petal fall did not provide effective season-long control, except where numbers were very low. Programs using 1 (petal fall) or 3 applications of esfenvalerate were ineffective. Control by either nematode formulation was insignificant.

Morphine versus methadone in the pain treatment of advanced-cancer patients followed up at home.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the analgesic and adverse effects and the doses of methadone in comparison to morphine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective randomized study was performed in a sample of 40 patients with advanced cancer who required strong opioids for their pain management. Patients were treated with sustained-release morphine or methadone in doses titrated against the effect administered two or three times daily according to clinical need. Opioid doses, adjuvant medications, symptoms associated with opioid therapy, pain intensity, and pain mechanisms were recorded. The opioid escalation indices in percentage (OEI%) and milligrams (OEImg) were calculated. The effective analgesic score (EAS) that monitors the analgesic consumption-pain ratio was also calculated at fixed weekly intervals. RESULTS: differences in pain intensity were found. Patients treated with methadone reported values of OEI significantly less than those observed in patients treated with morphine. Seven patients in the methadone group maintained the same initial dosage until death, whereas only one patient in the morphine group did not require opioid dose escalation. A more stable analgesia in time in patients treated with methadone was shown by the low number of gaps in EASs reported. Symptom frequencies and intensities were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION: Methadone is a drug of indisputable value in the treatment of cancer pain, and an unbalanced focus on the risks of inappropriate use rather than the benefits should not compromise the use of a relevant alternative to morphine in the management of cancer pain.

Dextropropoxyphene versus morphine in opioid-naive cancer patients with pain.

The role of opioids for moderate pain (so-called "weak" opioids) in the second step of the World Health Organization's analgesic ladder has been investigated in a prospective randomized study. Sixteen patients were administered dextropropoxyphene (DPP) in a dosage ranging from 120 mg to 240 mg daily (group 1), and 16 patients were administered the lowest doses (20 mg daily) of commercially available controlled-release morphine (group 2). Equianalgesic doses of oral morphine, pain relief, and symptoms during the first 10 days of therapy and during the last 4 weeks before death were assessed. Three of 16 patients maintained DPP until death, whereas three patients in group 2 were switched to DPP due to the occurrence of intolerable side effects. Intensity and frequency of nausea and vomiting, drowsiness, and dry mouth were higher in group 2 than in group 1 during the initial treatment. These results stress the role of "weak" opioids during the induction of opioid therapy in opioid-naive cancer patients.

Monitoring of opioid therapy in advanced cancer pain patients.

Until now, there have not been any parameters to monitor opioid therapy in cancer patients with pain. In this study, 325 consecutive advanced cancer patients were scheduled for a prospective longitudinal survey. After exclusions, 67 patients were surveyed. All included patients were advanced cancer patients with pain that required opioid therapy for more than 6 weeks before death. Opioid escalation, symptoms associated with opioid therapy, pain mechanism, and pain intensity were recorded. Indices were calculated to categorize the response to opioids. The opioid escalation index (OEI) was used to index the mean increase of the starting opioid dosage, expressed as a percentage or in mg. The length of the period of stable dose (MLD) and the effective analgesic score (EAS), that is, the analgesic consumption/pain relief ratio calculated at fixed intervals, were also used. Patients with a mean visual analogue scale score (VAS) of less than 4 and regular OEI and EAS were considered responsive; patients with a mean VAS less than 4 but with an OEI more than 5 or increases of more than 100% of EAS when compared to that calculated the week before were considered mildly responsive; and patients with a mean VAS more than 4 were considered unresponsive. Advanced age, female gender, and previous chemotherapy were all factors reducing OEI. Head and neck cancer was associated with a higher OEI. Regarding the influence of the opioid-related symptoms, an increased OEI was associated with the presence of confusion. Moreover the presence of confusion was associated with neuropathic pain. Neuropathic pain taken alone, however, did not influence this score. Gender-specific cancer, such as breast cancer, influenced the gender differences reported for MLD (significantly longer than that reported for males and other primary tumor). Good responsiveness was observed in 28 patients, partial responsiveness in 33 patients, unresponsiveness in six patients. Psychological factors were associated with poor pain relief, probably reducing the patient's compliance. The tools used in this study may be useful in monitoring the effects of opioid therapy in cancer pain patients. Simple numbers are easy to compare and make it possible to profile opioid responsiveness and differences among patients.

The inappropriate use of the epidural route in cancer pain.

There continues to be controversy concerning the optimal use of the epidural route in cancer pain. Although spinal opioids undoubtedly give long-lasting analgesia with low doses, indiscriminate use cannot be recommended. Inappropriate indications for the epidural route are reported in three patients who required home palliative care. In contrast to epidural treatment, which caused severe clinical problems, simpler measures, including oral and subcutaneous opioids, were able to give adequate analgesia and a better quality of life. Education of nursing staff and family is necessary when using opioid epidural analgesia at home. Wide dissemination of World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines among doctors and health-care workers can avoid the use of unnecessary and complicated techniques and improve the treatment of terminally ill patients suffering from cancer pain.

Adjuvant role of MIB1 index in differentiating serous ovarian tumors-preliminary report.

Atypically proliferating serous tumors (APST) account for 15% of all ovarian serous epithelial neoplasms. The differences between benign, borderline and malignant ovarian tumors is principally due to their cellular proliferative potential. By means of MIB1 expression we could recognize differences in proliferation among serous ovarian tumors, overcoming interobserver variability. Thirty-three patients with serous ovarian tumors, treated at S. Raffaele Hospital, University of Milan between November 1, 1992 and July 31, 1994 were used as study the population: 9 patients had serous cystoadenocarcinoma, 14 patients had APST and 10 patients had serous cystoadenoma. Pathological slides of all the cases were reviewed and immunohistochemical analysis was performed on formalin fixed, paraffin was embedded tissue. Pearson's Chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were performed for statistical evaluation. The percentage of MIB1 positive neoplastic cells ranged from, 0% to 2.1% (median 0.45%; mean 0.69%) in cystoadenomas, 1.3% to 7% (median 2.9%; mean 3.98%) in APSTs and 4.7% to 20.3% (median 6.95%; mean 9.51%) in cystoadenocarcinomas (p < 0.0001; F = 47.7). A High percentage expression of MIB1 in a serous tumor, initially diagnosed as APST, promoted a wider sampling of the surgical specimen confirming the presence of a carcinomatous component. MIB1 index is reported as representative of cellular proliferative potential. The analysis of MIB1 index provided valuable information in addition to that gained by conventional microscopic study in all cases where diagnostic difficulties arose in assessing APST.

Characterization of beam-induced reactions occurring in liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry/fast-atom bombardment by tandem mass spectrometry.

Department of General and Physical Chemistry, University of Liege, Liege, Belgium A specific beam-induced secondary reaction involving the condensation of hydroxylic matrices with some organic groups (aldehydes, ketones, etc.) accompanied by the loss of a water molecule was investigated by liquid secondary ion mass spectrometry/fast-atom bombardment (LSIMS/FAB). A mechanistic scheme and a structure of the induced product are proposed. The features of this secondary reaction were studied and the influence of the types of solutes, acidic additives, and matrices analyzed. Rather than a drawback, LSIMS/FAB mass spectrometry can take advantage of this matrix effect to infer analytical information through tandem mass spectrometry experiments. Specific neutral loss scans can be conducted to highlight beam-induced reactive molecules, even when the detection of these species is prevented in normal scan spectra by other surface-active components.

HPV genital infections and contraception.

Human Papilloma Virus genital infections are, especially during fertile age, a very common finding in performing PAP smear and colposcopy. The interest in these infections arises from their frequent association with dysplasia and their possible role in the etiology of carcinoma of the lower genital tract. The natural history of HPV infections is not very well known and foreseen. Epidemiological studies indicate that the progression, regression or stability of induced HPV lesions are correlated with cofactors which are considered risk factors in carcinoma of the lower genital tract. The aim of this study is to evaluate the influence of estroprogestinic contraception and other methods on the evolution of the HPV genital infections.

PIP: Human papilloma virus (HPV) genital infections are sexually transmitted and often found among young women. While not much is known about the natural history of these infections, they are known to be frequently associated with dysplasia and may have a role in the etiology of carcinoma of the lower genital tract. This paper, therefore, presents findings of an evaluation of the influence of estroprogestinic contraception and other methods on the evolution of HPV genital infections. 108 women aged 18-51 were diagnosed with HPV in the lower genital tract; 41 were using oral contraception with estroprogestinics and 67 were using other methods or none at all. The evaluation considered the evolution of lesions as related to the following potential influencing factors: patient's age, age at first sexual intercourse, number of pregnancies, lifetime number of partners, and smoking habits. Nothing could be concluded from this investigation, but it is suspected that estroprogestin use combined with smoking may increase the risk of HPV genital infections progressing to cervical cancer.

[Serum myoglobin in pregnant women treated with tocolytics and carnitine]. / La mioglobina sierica in gravide trattate con tocolitici e carnitina.

Forty-two pregnant women threatened by miscarriage or premature delivery have been studied. A group of 21 gravidas was treated with ritodrine and potassium chloride. The treatment protocol of another group of 21 gravidas included carnitine (2 g infusion with phleboclysis). It was thus observed that the haematic concentration of myoglobin increases about twice by comparison with normal values during i.v. tocolytic treatment whereas tocolytics per os do not affect the blood level of myoglobin (phenomenon observed in another group of 10 gravidas also suffering from threatened miscarriage or premature delivery). The use of beta 2-mimetics involves the onset of at times serious side-effects and methods have been sought to anticipate and prevent them. Measurement of serum myoglobin is intended as a useful investigation for monitoring tocolytic therapy which, as a result of its myotoxicity in the cardiac and skeletal musculature demands extremely cautious use. Moreover, the use of carnitine did not modify the blood concentration of myoglobin, whereas it obtained beneficial results on the onset of beta 2-mimetic induced side-effects.

Protective effects of hydralazine in a renal ischemia model in the rat.

Renal ischemia was produced in anesthetized rats by a bilateral ligation of the renal artery, vein, and ureter. Pretreatment with hydralazine (0.3-10.0 mg/kg i.v.) resulted in a dose dependent reduction in elevated plasma creatinine levels 24 hr after a 60 min ischemic episode, indicating a protective effect on post-ischemic renal function. Hydralazine (3.0 mg/kg, i.v.) produced a fall in arterial blood pressure and exaggerated and/or extended post-ischemic depressions in renal blood flow, renal transport activity (in vitro para-aminohippurate uptake) and renal ATP levels. These results indicate that the hypotensive activity of hydralazine may have indirectly benefited the post-ischemic kidney by prolonging a relative anoxic condition which possibly allowed renal cells to recover under conditions where minimal tubular activity was present.

Beta-endorphin levels and general anaesthesia for caesarean section. Preliminary report.

Plasma beta-endorphin levels were studied before induction of general anaesthesia for caesarean section and during some phases of surgery. A very high increase of beta-endorphin occurred following induction of anaesthesia. However fifteen minutes after fetal extraction a tendency of the beta-endorphin levels to decrease was noted. Some medical treatment, such as antiasthmatic medication with glucocorticoids and beta-mimetic treatment for controlling uterine hyperactivity, seemed to interfere with pituitary response.