Biosolids-amended soils: Part I. Effect of biosolids application on soil quality and ecotoxicity.

Investigations of potential risk from biosolids generally indicate that land application does not threaten human or ecosystem health, but questions continue to arise concerning the environmental effects of this practice. This research project was initiated to evaluate ecotoxicity resulting from the amendment of soils with biosolids from municipal wastewater treatment plants. Toxicity was evaluated using standard tests, including earthworm mortality, growth, and reproduction; seedling germination and root elongation; microbial respiration; and nematode mortality and reproduction. Nineteen municipal wastewater treatment plants were identified to participate in an initial screening of toxicity, and five were chosen for a more detailed evaluation. In addition, two soils with historically high applications of high-metal biosolids were evaluated. Contaminants examined were zinc, copper, nickel, chromium, arsenic, cadmium, lead, and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Single applications had no effect on soil metal concentrations. Coplanar PCBs were not detectable in any of the soils or biosolids. All target organisms were sensitive to reference toxicants. Limited toxicity was observed in a small number of the amended soils, but no patterns emerged. Approximately one-half of the negative effects of biosolids on bioindicators could be attributed to routine properties, such as slight depression of pH and/or elevated salinity. None of the accumulated metal concentrations were excessive, and most would not be considered elevated. These observations suggest that current regulations for application of biosolids to soils are providing adequate ecosystem protection.

[Diagnostic image (261). A woman with vulval ulcera and uveitis]. / Diagnose in beeld (261). Een vrouw met vulvaire ulcera en uveitis.

A 49-year-old woman suffered from vulval and vaginal ulcera and from oral mucosal lesions and uveitis due to Behçet's disease.

Feasibility of using ultrasonic irradiation to recover active biomass from waste activated sludge.

Under typical operating conditions, the microbial fraction of activated sludge flocs is approximately 40% by weight. The objective of this research is to evaluate the feasibility of using ultrasonic irradiation to disrupt activated sludge flocs allowing for the subsequent separation of active and inactive fractions. If separation of floc components is possible, then methods may be incorporated into wastewater treatment plant operations whereby only the inactive fraction of floc is wasted (i.e., of waste activated sludge, WAS), which in turn could increase the overall effective biological solids retention time, leading to increased process robustness with no net increase in reactor size. The results indicate that ultrasonic irradiation of WAS at 800 Wl(-1) followed by 30 min of settling can produce a supernatant with heterotrophic specific oxygen uptake rates (SOURs) of over two times the SOUR measured in the bulk mixed liquor. Under these conditions 26% of the initial heterotrophic activity was recovered within only 11% of the initial volatile mass. Similarly, autotrophic analysis revealed that nitrifying organisms, while sensitive to the effects of ultrasonic irradiation, can be separated from the activated sludge floc and recovered. An irradiation density of 200 Wl(-1) with an exposure time between 1 and 2 min produced a supernatant with a specific ammonia removal rate of over two times the initial mixed liquor rate.

Impacts of reduced sulfur components on active and resting ammonia oxidizers.

While there has been significant research on the nature and extent of the impact of inhibitory reduced sulfur with respect to anaerobic (e.g., methanogenic and sulfidogenic) microbial systems, only limited study has yet been conducted on the comparable effects of soluble sulfides which might occur within aerobic wastewater treatment systems. Admittedly, aerobic reactors would not normally be considered conducive to the presence of reduced sulfur constituents, but there do appear to be a number of processing scenarios under which related impacts could develop, particularly for sensitive reactions like nitrification. Indeed, the following scenarios might well involve elevated levels of reduced sulfur within an aerobic reactor environment: (1) mixed liquor recycle back through sulfide-generating anaerobic zones (e.g., in conjunction with biological nutrient removal processes, etc.), (2) high-level side-stream sulfide recycle via sludge digestion, etc., back to aerobic reactors, and (3) high-level influent sulfide inputs to wastewater treatment facilities via specific industrial, septage, etc., streams. The objective of this study was, therefore, to determine the subsequent metabolic impact of soluble sulfide under aerated and unaerated conditions, focusing in particular on ammonia-oxidizing bacteria due to their critical first-step role with nitrification. The obtained results indicated that, under catabolically active conditions, cultures of ammonia oxidizers were extremely sensitive to the presence of sulfide. At total soluble sulfide concentrations of 0.25 mg l(-1) S, active ammonia oxidation was completely inhibited. However, immediately following the removal of this soluble sulfide presence, ammonia oxidation started to recover; and it continued to improve over the next 24 h. Similar sulfide impact tests conducted with inactive ammonia oxidizers exposed during anaerobic conditions, albeit at higher dosage levels, also revealed that their subsequent aerobic activity would correspondingly be retarded. These results indicated that, after sulfide exposure under unaerated conditions, subsequent aerobic oxidative activity rates rapidly decreased as the soluble sulfide exposure was increased from 0.5 gm l(-1) S to 5 mg l(-1) S and that further reductions in this activity progressively developed as the concentration was increased to 200 mg l(-1) S. The recovery following unaerated exposure to sulfide was significantly higher at pH 7, as compared with pH 8, and although the specific nature of this variation was not established, a hypothetical explanation appeared warranted.

Primary breast lymphoma, contralateral breast cancer, and bilateral Brenner tumors of the ovary.

BACKGROUND: Primary lymphoma of the breast is an unusual clinical entity. Its presence with invasive breast cancer and bilateral Brenner tumors of the ovary is very rare. CASE: We report a 62-year-old woman referred for further evaluation of a palpable mass in her breast. She was diagnosed and treated for simultaneous primary lymphoma of the right breast, contralateral invasive ductal carcinoma, and bilateral Brenner tumors of the ovary. One year after treatment, she is free of recurrence or progression. CONCLUSION: Compared with breast carcinoma, primary breast lymphoma is a rare disease but should be considered in the differential diagnosis of breast masses. The presence of both breast malignancies presents a challenge in treatment decisions.

Thermophilic aerobic treatment of a synthetic wastewater in a membrane-coupled bioreactor.

Synthetic wastewater containing alpha-lactose and gelatin was treated in a thermophilic membrane-coupled bioreactor (MBR). Thermophilic (>45 degrees C) treatment represents a potentially advantageous process for high-temperature as well as high-strength industrial wastewaters susceptible to reactor autoheating. Thermophilic systems, however, generally support a nonflocculating biomass that resists conventional methods of cell separation from the treated wastewater. MBRs were applied to thermophilic treatment systems because bacterial cells can be retained regardless of cell aggregation. Thermophilic aerobic MBRs were successfully operated at high levels of biocatalyst and produced a better effluent quality than analogous thermophilic bioreactors without cell recycle. At a hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 13.1 h, the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the membrane eluate improved from 760 mg l(-1) (without cell recycle) to 160 mg l(-1) (with cell recycle). Bacterial community shifts were detected by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) -amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments - 6 of 13 bands disappeared within 2 days of MBR operation. A concomitant 40-50% reduction in physiological indicators of cell reactivity (RNA:protein; ATP:protein) was also observed. The specific activity of beta-galactosidase and aminopeptidase, however, increased by 10-25%, indicating that there is a definite advantage to MBR operation at the highest biomass level possible. Nucleotide sequence analysis of 16S rDNA clones identified phylotypes from the low-G+C Gram-positive division and the beta- and gamma-subdivisions of Proteobacteria.

Chemical characterization of synthetic soil from composting coal combustion and pharmaceutical by-products.

Land application of coal combustion by-products (CCBs) mixed with solid organic wastes (SOWs), such as municipal sewage sludge, has become increasingly popular as a means of productively using what were once considered waste products. Although bulk chemical and physical properties of several of these CCB-SOW materials have been reported, detailed information about their synthesis and mineralogy of the CCB-SOW materials has not been reported. In this paper, chemical and mineralogical properties of a soil-like material obtained from composting a mixture of CCBs with a pharmaceutical fermentation by-product (FB) were investigated at the laboratory and field scale. All starting materials and products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transform infrared (FFIR) spectroscopy, and elemental analyses. The results showed that the FB was strongly bound to the CCBs and could not be removed by washing. Within 2 wk of the start of a composting study, there was a rapid drop in pH from 12 to 8, an increase in temperature to 70 degrees C, and a reduction in the dissolved oxygen content, attributed to the rapid establishment of a highly active microbial population. Composting produced a soil-like material with high levels of plant nutrients, a high nutrient retention capacity, and metal contents similar to median levels of those metals reported for soils. The levels of boron and soluble salts are such that sensitive plants may initially show toxicity symptoms. However, with adequate rainfall, leaching should rapidly remove most of the B and soluble salts. With care, the material produced is safe for use as a synthetic topsoil.

Personal, practical, and professional issues in providing managed mental health care: a discussion for new psychotherapists.

Written by a former corporate manager pursuing counseling as a 2nd career, this article offers pointed views on managed mental health. Values of practitioners that are a mismatch for managed care are noted, and more specific disadvantages and advantages are examined. Loss of client confidentiality is addressed and procedures and technologies for its reclamation are noted. Negative effects on therapy are acknowledged and potential for better accountability and research are pointed out. Economic disadvantages of a small provider's practice as well as opportunities for creating new value and additional income are reviewed. The relatively sudden emergence of managed care is credited with a natural time lag preceding regulatory responses. Acknowledging that most new practitioners have little choice about the clients they serve, the article concludes that it would be shortsighted to rule managed care out of one's practice.

Aerobic biological treatment of a pharmaceutical wastewater: effect of temperature on cod removal and bacterial community development.

The effect of temperature was studied on the efficiency of soluble COD removal and bacterial community development during the aerobic biological treatment of a pharmaceutical wastewater. Using wastewater and bacterial inoculum obtained from the full-scale facility treating this wastewater, batch laboratory cultures were operated at 5 degrees C intervals from 30 degrees C to 70 C. Following four culture transfers to allow for bacterial acclimation, residual soluble COD levels were measured and bacterial community fingerprints were obtained by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments. Soluble COD removal efficiency declined as temperature increased from 30 degrees C (62%) to 60 degrees C (38%). Biological treatment of this wastewater failed to occur at temperatures higher than 60 C. Gradual shifts in bacterial community structure were detected as temperature increased, including a concomitant reduction in the number of different bacterial populations. The impact of temperature on a two-stage biological treatment process was also compared. Better soluble COD removal was achieved when both reactors were operated at 30 degrees C compared to a system where the two stages were consecutively operated at 55 degrees C and 30 degrees C. These results indicate that operation of aerobic biological wastewater treatment reactors at elevated temperatures can have adverse effects on process performance.

Phylogenetic analysis of bacterial communities in mesophilic and thermophilic bioreactors treating pharmaceutical wastewater.

The phylogenetic diversity of the bacterial communities supported by a seven-stage, full-scale biological wastewater treatment plant was studied. These reactors were operated at both mesophilic (28 to 32 degrees C) and thermophilic (50 to 58 degrees C) temperatures. Community fingerprint analysis by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the PCR-amplified V3 region of the 16S rRNA gene from the domain Bacteria revealed that these seven reactors supported three distinct microbial communities. A band-counting analysis of the PCR-DGGE results suggested that elevated reactor temperatures corresponded with reduced species richness. Cloning of nearly complete 16S rRNA genes also suggested a reduced species richness in the thermophilic reactors by comparing the number of clones with different nucleotide inserts versus the total number of clones screened. While these results imply that elevated temperature can reduce species richness, other factors also could have impacted the number of populations that were detected. Nearly complete 16S rDNA sequence analysis showed that the thermophilic reactors were dominated by members from the beta subdivision of the division Proteobacteria (beta-proteobacteria) in addition to anaerobic phylotypes from the low-G+C gram-positive and Synergistes divisions. The mesophilic reactors, however, included at least six bacterial divisions, including Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides, Synergistes, Planctomycetes, low-G+C gram-positives, Holophaga-Acidobacterium, and Proteobacteria (alpha-proteobacteria, beta-proteobacteria, gamma-proteobacteria and delta-proteobacteria subdivisions). The two PCR-based techniques detected the presence of similar bacterial populations but failed to coincide on the relative distribution of these phylotypes. This suggested that at least one of these methods is insufficiently quantitative to determine total community biodiversity-a function of both the total number of species present (richness) and their relative distribution (evenness).

Inhibition of insulin receptor phosphorylation by PC-1 is not mediated by the hydrolysis of adenosine triphosphate or the generation of adenosine.

Individuals with insulin resistance show increased levels of PC-1 expression in skeletal muscle and fibroblasts, and in transfected cell lines that overexpress PC-1 there is a reduction in the insulin-stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation. As PC-1 is a type II transmembrane protein with extracellular phosphodiesterase and pyrophosphatase activity, increased expression of PC-1 at the cell surface will decrease extracellular adenosine triphosphate levels and increase extracellular adenosine levels. Consequently it is possible that PC-1-mediated insulin resistance could be caused either by a decrease in adenosine triphosphate or an indirect increase in adenosine levels. We have tested this hypothesis and find that the PC-1-mediated inhibition of insulin-stimulated insulin receptor autophosphorylation is not altered by agents that alter the level or action of adenosine. Further, a mutated PC-1 with a single amino acid change that abolishes the phosphodiesterase and pyrophosphatase activities is still able to inhibit insulin-stimulated insulin receptor phosphorylation. The results of these experiments indicate that the phosphodiesterase activity of PC-1 is not involved in the inhibition of insulin receptor autophosphorylation.

Fiber-linked telescope array: description and laboratory tests of a two-channel prototype.

We present a complete two-telescope version of a fiber-linked coherent array that is meant to be used for mounting on the dish of a radio telescope. This was built with 20-cm amateur telescopes and includes three different servo subsystems for guiding, nulling of the air path difference, and fiber length control. Laboratory tests of the fully integrated system in front of a star simulator are described.

Enzyme Immunoassay Detection of Nitrosomonas europaea.

An exploratory effort to selectively detect the presence of a nitrifying bacterium, Nitrosomonas europaea, successfully demonstrated the fundamental utility of an enzyme-based immunoassay protocol. The applied polyclonal antibody test seemingly offered a marked improvement over the available analytical options, including plating, activity, and fluorescence immunoassay techniques. Following an initial purification step to enhance overall specificity, this procedure had an apparent lower limit of detection of approximately 5 x 10 cells per ml. Tests conducted with activated sludge samples exhibited a distinct difference between nitrifying and nonnitrifying mixed liquors, although the highest Nitrosomonas levels observed (i.e., at 1 to 2% of the overall viable cell density) were relatively close to the latter detection boundary.

Successful delivery after hepatic rupture in previous pre-eclamptic pregnancy.

Rupture of the liver in the course of pre-eclamptic pregnancy is a rare but life-threatening event. Controversiality exists with regard to the treatment modality. A case is presented of a pre-eclamptic multiparous woman with liver rupture and intra-abdominal bleeding immediately after delivery of a stillborn infant, who was successfully treated by correction of intravascular volume with blood transfusions without surgical intervention. The index pregnancy was succeeded by an uneventful pregnancy and delivery. This is the first case report of a conservatively managed liver rupture with an uneventful course of the next pregnancy. Conservative treatment should consist of correction of hypovolemia and clotting disorders, while surgical approach should be reserved for patients who cannot be stabilized hemodynamically.

Cloning of the essential myotonic dystrophy region and mapping of the putative defect.

Myotonic dystrophy is a common dominant disorder (global incidence of 1:8,000) with variable onset and a protean nature of symptoms mainly involving progressive muscle wasting, myotonia and cataracts. To define the molecular defect, we have cloned the essential region of chromosome 19q13.3, including proximal and distal markers in a 700-kilobase contig formed by overlapping cosmids and yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs). The central part of the contig bridges an area of about 350 kilobases between two new flanking crossover borders. This segment has been extensively characterized through the isolation of five YAC clones and the subsequent subcloning in cosmids from which a detailed EcoRI, HindIII, MluI and NotI restriction map has been derived. Two genomic probes and two homologous complementary DNA probes were isolated using the cosmids. These probes are all situated within approximately 10 kilobases of genomic DNA and detect an unstable genomic segment in myotonic dystrophy patients. The length variation in this segment shows similarities to the instability seen at the fragile X locus. The physical map location and the genetic characteristics of the length polymorphism is compatible with a direct role in the pathogenesis of myotonic dystrophy.

Interferometric control of fiber lengths for a coherent telescope array.

Single-mode fibers have been proposed for connecting telescopes to mixing stations in coherent telescope arrays intended for image synthesis. We describe a laser-controlled servosystem that keeps the fiber-optical length differences stable and permits passage of wide-bandwidth astronomical beams from an unlimited number of telescopes. Initial laboratory results are presented.

The cerebro-vascular problem in coronary by-pass surgery.

In 99 of 2250 consecutive C.B.P. cases, signs of cerebro-vascular disease (C.V.D.) were recorded in 87 (3.9%) on admission and in 12 post-operatively. The detection of C.V.D. by auscultation alone is very incomplete. There were 17 post-C.B.P. neurologic deficits (P.O.N.D.) (0.75%): 15 strokes (0.67%) and 2 T.I.A.'s. 26 patients (out of 87 detected on admission) were treated by carotid endarterectomy (C.E.) either pre-by-pass or simultaneously. There were no complications. The remaining 61 patients, who were not treated, had 4 strokes and 1 T.I.A. after their C.B.P. The most probable cause of these deficits was pre-existing C.V.D. Could more extensive pre-operative investigation, and treating the serious lesions by C.E., improve the P.O.N.D. incidence? The published series on simultaneous C.E. + C.B.P. are not yet conclusive. We favour C.E. done before the C.P.B. procedure except in very serious coronary disease when simultaneous operation is preferred.

Supraclavicular brachial plexus block with the aid of a nerve stimulator.

Hundred supraclavicular brachial plexus blocks according to the subclavian perivascular technique were performed with the aid of a nerve stimulator Neutracer in order to verify the value of the technique and the acceptance by the patients. The technique is extensively described and the results and complications are presented. The rationale for the use of the supraclavicular approach and the advantages of the use of a nerve stimulator in regional anesthesia are discussed.