How to manage plant biomass originated from phytotechnologies? Gathering perceptions from end-users.

A questionnaire survey was carried out in four European countries to gather end-user's perceptions of using plants from phytotechnologies in combustion and anaerobic digestion (AD). Nine actors of the wood energy sector from France, Germany, and Sweden, and eleven AD platform operators from France, Germany, and Austria were interviewed. Questions related to installation, input materials, performed analyses, phytostabilization, and phytoextraction were asked. Although the majority of respondents did not know phytotechnologies, results suggested that plant biomass from phytomanaged areas could be used in AD and combustion, under certain conditions. As a potential benefit, phytomanaged plants would not compete with plants grown on agricultural lands, contaminated lands being not suitable for agriculture production. Main limitations would be related to additional controls in process' inputs and end-products and installations that might generate additional costs. In most cases, the price of phytotechnologies biomass was mentioned as a driver to potentially use plants from metal-contaminated soils. Plants used in phytostabilization or phytoexclusion were thought to be less risky and, consequently, benefited from a better theoretical acceptance than those issued from phytoextraction. Results were discussed according to national regulations. One issue was related to the regulatory gap concerning the status of the plant biomass produced on contaminated land.

Brownfields to green fields: Realising wider benefits from practical contaminant phytomanagement strategies.

Gentle remediation options (GROs) are risk management strategies or technologies involving plant (phyto-), fungi (myco-), and/or bacteria-based methods that result in a net gain (or at least no gross reduction) in soil function as well as effective risk management. GRO strategies can be customised along contaminant linkages, and can generate a range of wider economic, environmental and societal benefits in contaminated land management (and in brownfields management more widely). The application of GROs as practical on-site remedial solutions is still limited however, particularly in Europe and at trace element (typically metal and metalloid) contaminated sites. This paper discusses challenges to the practical adoption of GROs in contaminated land management, and outlines the decision support tools and best practice guidance developed in the European Commission FP7-funded GREENLAND project aimed at overcoming these challenges. The GREENLAND guidance promotes a refocus from phytoremediation to wider GROs- or phyto-management based approaches which place realisation of wider benefits at the core of site design, and where gentle remediation technologies can be applied as part of integrated, mixed, site risk management solutions or as part of "holding strategies" for vacant sites. The combination of GROs with renewables, both in terms of biomass generation but also with green technologies such as wind and solar power, can provide a range of economic and other benefits and can potentially support the return of low-level contaminated sites to productive usage, while combining GROs with urban design and landscape architecture, and integrating GRO strategies with sustainable urban drainage systems and community gardens/parkland (particularly for health and leisure benefits), has large potential for triggering GRO application and in realising wider benefits in urban and suburban systems. Quantifying these wider benefits and value (above standard economic returns) will be important in leveraging funding for GRO application and soft site end-use more widely at vacant or underutilized sites.

Cost-Effectiveness of Short-Term Inpatient Psychotherapy Based on Transactional Analysis in Patients With Personality Disorder.

Short-term inpatient psychotherapy based on transactional analysis (STIP-TA) in patients with personality disorders (PD) has shown to be more effective than comparable other specialized psychotherapies (OP). The aim of this study was to assess whether the higher effectiveness of STIP-TA also results in a better cost-effectiveness. Patients treated with STIP-TA were matched with patients treated with OP by the propensity score. Healthcare costs and lost productivity costs were measured over 3 years and from the societal perspective. Cost-effectiveness was represented by costs per quality adjusted life years (QALYs). Uncertainty was assessed using bootstrapping. Mean 3-year costs were €59,834 for STIP-TA and €69,337 for OP, a difference of -€9,503, 95% CI [-32,561, 15,726]. QALYs were 2.29 for STIP-TA and 2.05 for OP, a difference of .24, 95% CI [.05, .44]. STIP-TA is a dominant treatment compared to OP: less costly and more effective. We conclude that STIP-TA is a cost-effective treatment in PD patients.

Effectiveness of Short-Term Inpatient Psychotherapy Based on Transactional Analysis With Patients With Personality Disorders: A Matched Control Study Using Propensity Score.

Controlled studies on the effectiveness of inpatient psychotherapy with patients with personality disorders (PD) are rare. This study aims to compare 3-month short-term inpatient psychotherapy based on transactional analysis (STIP-TA) with other psychotherapies (OP) up to 36-month follow-up. PD patients treated with STIP-TA were matched with OP patients using the propensity score. The primary outcome measure was general psychiatric symptomatology; secondary outcomes were psychosocial functioning and quality of life. In 67 pairs of patients, both STIP-TA and OP showed large symptomatic and functional improvements. However, STIP-TA patients showed more symptomatic improvement at all time points compared to OP patients. At 36 months, 68% of STIP-TA patients were symptomatically recovered compared to 48% of OP patients. STIP-TA outperformed OP in terms of improvements in general psychiatric symptomatology and quality of life. Superiority of STIP-TA was most pronounced at 12-month follow-up, but remained intact over the course of the 3-year follow-up.

Effectiveness of Psychotherapy in Personality Disorders Not Otherwise Specified: A Comparison of Different Treatment Modalities.

OBJECTIVE: Although personality disorder not otherwise specified (PDNOS) is highly prevalent and associated with a high burden of disease, only a few treatment studies in this patient group exist. This study is the first to investigate the effectiveness of different modalities of psychotherapy in patients with PDNOS, i.e., short-term (up to 6 months) and long-term (more than 6 months) outpatient, day hospital, and inpatient psychotherapy. METHOD: A total of 205 patients with PDNOS were assigned to one of six treatment modalities. Effectiveness was assessed over 60 months after baseline. The primary outcome measure was symptom severity, and the secondary outcome measures included psychosocial functioning and quality of life. The study design was quasi-experimental, and the multiple propensity score was used to control for initial differences between treatment groups. RESULTS: All treatment modalities showed positive outcomes, especially in terms of improvements of symptom severity and social role functioning. At 12-month follow-up, after adjustment for initial differences between the treatment groups, short-term outpatient psychotherapy and short-term inpatient psychotherapy showed most improvement and generally outperformed the other modalities concerning symptom severity. At 60 months after baseline, effectiveness remained but observed differences between modalities mostly diminished. CONCLUSION: Patients with PDNOS benefit from psychotherapy both at short-term and long-term follow-up. Short-term outpatient psychotherapy and short-term inpatient psychotherapy seem to be superior to the other treatment modalities at 12-month follow-up. At 60-month follow-up, treatments showed mostly comparable effectiveness. KEY PRACTITIONER MESSAGES: The effectiveness of different modalities of psychotherapy in patients with PDNOS (i.e., short-term vs long-term; outpatient versus day hospital versus inpatient psychotherapy) has not yet been compared. Different modalities of psychotherapy are effective for patients with PDNOS, and positive effects remain after 5 years. In patients with PDNOS short-term (less than 6 months) outpatient psychotherapy and short-term inpatient psychotherapy seem to be superior to the four other treatment modalities at 12-month follow-up. At 60-month follow-up, treatments showed mostly comparable effectiveness.

Developing and validating a practical decision support tool (DST) for biomass selection on marginal land.

Marginal, often contaminated, sites exist in large areas across the world as a result of historic activities such as industry, transportation and mineral extraction. Remediation, or other improvements, of these sites is typically only considered for sites with high exploitation pressure and those posing the highest risks to human health or the environment. At the same time there is increasing competition for land resources for different needs such as biofuel production. Potentially some of this land requirement could be met by production of biomass on brownfield or other marginal land, thereby improving the land while applying the crop cultivation as part of an integrated management strategy. The design and decision making for such a strategy will be site specific. A decision support framework, the Rejuvenate DST (decision support tool) has been developed with the aim of supporting such site specific decision making. This tool is presented here, and has been tested by applying it to a number of case study sites. The consequent SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis is discussed and evaluated. The DST was found to be systematic, transparent, and applicable for diverse sites in France, Romania and Sweden, in addition to the sites to which it was applied through its development. The DST is regarded as especially useful if applied as a checklist in an iterative way throughout the decision process, from identifying potential crops to identifying knowledge gaps, working/non-working management strategies and potential risks. The DST also provides a structure promoting effective stakeholder engagement.

Effectiveness of outpatient, day hospital, and inpatient psychotherapeutic treatment for patients with cluster B personality disorders.

BACKGROUND: For patients with cluster B personality disorders there is no consensus regarding the optimal treatment setting. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different psychotherapeutic settings for patients with cluster B personality disorders, i.e. outpatient, day hospital, and inpatient treatment. METHODS: The study was conducted between March 2003 and June 2008 in 6 mental health care centres in the Netherlands, with a sample of 207 patients with a DSM-IV-TR axis II cluster B diagnosis. Patients were assigned to 3 different settings of psychotherapeutic treatment and effectiveness was assessed at 18 months after baseline. An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted for psychiatric symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory), psychosocial functioning (Outcome Questionnaire-45), and quality of life (EQ-5D), using multilevel statistical modelling. As the study was non-randomised, the propensity score method was used to control for initial differences. RESULTS: Patients in all 3 settings improved significantly in terms of psychiatric symptoms, social and interpersonal functioning, and quality of life 18 months after baseline. The inpatient group showed the largest improvements. The comparison of outpatient and inpatient treatment regarding psychiatric symptoms showed a marginally significant result (p = 0.057) in favour of inpatient treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with cluster B personality disorders improved in all investigated treatment settings, with a trend towards larger improvements of psychiatric symptoms in the inpatient setting compared to the outpatient setting. Specialised inpatient treatment should be considered as a valuable treatment option for cluster B personality disorders, both in research and in clinical practice.

Cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy for cluster C personality disorders: a decision-analytic model in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a formal economic evaluation of various dosages of psychotherapy for patients with avoidant, dependent, and obsessive-compulsive (ie, cluster C) personality disorders (Structured Interview for DSM-IV Personality criteria). METHOD: We developed a decision-analytic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of 5 dosages of psychotherapy (ie, long-term outpatient psychotherapy, short-term and long-term day hospital psychotherapy, and short-term and long-term inpatient psychotherapy) over a 5-year time horizon in terms of cost per recovered patient-year and cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Model parameters were estimated using data from 466 patients with cluster C personality disorders who were admitted to 6 specialist centers of psychotherapy in The Netherlands and assigned to 1 of the 5 treatment groups. Probabilistic analysis was conducted to explore the stability of results over uncertain data ranges. Analyses were conducted from both societal and payer perspectives. RESULTS: From the societal perspective and below a threshold of € 2,637 (US $3,351.92) per recovered patient-year, short-term day hospital psychotherapy resulted in the highest level of benefit for its cost; above the threshold, short-term inpatient psychotherapy was the most cost-effective choice. In terms of cost per QALY, this switch point was at a threshold value of € 16,570 (US $21,062.29) per QALY. From the payer perspective, the optimal strategy changed from short-term day hospital psychotherapy to short-term inpatient psychotherapy at threshold values of € 9,874 (US $12,550.94) per recovered patient-year and € 66,302 (US $84,277.13) per QALY. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that short-term day hospital psychotherapy and short-term inpatient psychotherapy are the most cost-effective treatment strategies for patients with cluster C personality disorders. The ultimate selection depends on what cost-effectiveness threshold is considered acceptable and what perspective is adopted.

Cost-effectiveness of psychotherapy for cluster B personality disorders.

BACKGROUND: Recommendations on current clinical guidelines are informed by limited economic evidence. AIMS: A formal economic evaluation of three modalities of psychotherapy for patients with cluster B personality disorders. METHOD: A probabilistic decision-analytic model to assess the cost-effectiveness of out-patient, day hospital and in-patient psychotherapy over 5 years in terms of cost per recovered patient-year and cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Analyses were conducted from both societal and payer perspectives. RESULTS: From the societal perspective, the most cost-effective choice switched from out-patient to day hospital psychotherapy at a threshold of 12,274 euros per recovered patient-year; and from day hospital to in-patient psychotherapy at 113,298 euros. In terms of cost per QALY, the optimal strategy changed at 56,325 euros and 286,493 euros per QALY respectively. From the payer perspective, the switch points were at 9895 euros and 155,797 euros per recovered patient-year, and 43,427 euros and 561,188 euros per QALY. CONCLUSIONS: Out-patient psychotherapy and day hospital psychotherapy are the optimal treatments for patients with cluster B personality disorders in terms of cost per recovered patient-year and cost per QALY.

Effectiveness of different modalities of psychotherapeutic treatment for patients with cluster C personality disorders: results of a large prospective multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: No previous studies have compared the effectiveness of different modalities of psychotherapeutic treatment, as defined by different settings and durations, for patients with cluster C personality disorders. The aim of this multicentre study was to compare the effectiveness of 5 treatment modalities for patients with cluster C personality disorders in terms of psychiatric symptoms, psychosocial functioning, and quality of life. The following treatment modalities were compared: long-term outpatient (more than 6 months), short-term day hospital (up to 6 months), long-term day hospital, short-term inpatient, and long-term inpatient psychotherapy. METHODS: The study was conducted between March 2003 and June 2008 in 6 mental health care centres in the Netherlands, with a sample of 371 patients with a DSM-IV-TR axis-II cluster C diagnosis. Patients were assigned to 5 different modalities of psychotherapeutic treatment, and effectiveness was assessed at 12 months after baseline. An intention-to-treat analysis was conducted for psychiatric symptoms (Brief Symptom Inventory), psychosocial functioning (Outcome Questionnaire-45), and quality of life (EQ-5D), using multilevel statistical modelling. As the study was non-randomised, the propensity score method was used to control for initial differences. RESULTS: Patients in all treatment groups had improved on all outcomes 12 months after baseline. Patients receiving short-term inpatient treatment showed more improvement than patients receiving other treatment modalities. CONCLUSIONS: Psychotherapeutic treatment, especially in the short-term inpatient modality, is an effective treatment for patients with cluster C personality disorders.

Zinc tolerance and accumulation in metallicolous and nonmetallicolous populations of Arabidopsis halleri (Brassicaceae).

Zinc tolerance was investigated in five populations of Arabidopsis halleri (syn.: Cardaminopsis halleri) raised from seeds collected from contaminated and uncontaminated sites. Tolerance was measured by determining the concentration which inhibited root growth (EC100 ). A. halleri populations from contaminated and uncontaminated sites were found to be Zn-tolerant compared with the Zn-nontolerant species Arabidopsis thaliana and A. lyrata subsp. petraea. At very high Zn concentrations, populations of A. halleri from uncontaminated sites were slightly less Zn-tolerant than those from contaminated sites. These observations support the hypothesis that in A. halleri, Zn tolerance is largely a constitutive property. One population from an uncontaminated site and one population from a contaminated site were studied for Zn uptake. Zinc content was measured in shoots and roots using a colorimetric test under laboratory conditions. The results showed that whatever their origin, individuals from both populations are Zn accumulators compared with the nonaccumulator species A. thaliana. Moreover, the population from the uncontaminated area accumulated Zn in its shoots and roots more quickly than the population from the contaminated site. These results suggest that, in A. halleri, Zn accumulation to very high concentration is a constitutive property.

Zinc tolerance and hyperaccumulation are genetically independent characters.

The hyperaccumulation of metals by a rare class of plants is a fascinating and little understood phenomenon. No genetic analysis has been possible since no intraspecific variation is known for this character. Here, we report on crosses between the zinc-hyperaccumulating and -tolerant species Arabidopsis halleri and the non-hyperaccumulating, non-tolerant species Arabidopsis petraea. The F2 segregates for both characters and it appears that the two characters are genetically independent. The data for tolerance are consistent with a single major gene for this character (although the number of genes for hyperaccumulation cannot be determined), and is probably not very large.

Antiproliferative effects of an organic extract from the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve. Against a non-small-cell bronchopulmonary carcinoma line (NSCLC-N6).

An organic extract of the marine diatom Skeletonema costatum was studied in vitro for its effect on asynchronous cells of a human non-small-cell bronchoplumanory carcinoma line (NSCLC-N6). Cell growth appeared to be inhibited in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, and kinetic studies in pretreated cells showed that this growth arrest was irreversible. These events are related to a terminal maturation induction.

Antitumor and antiproliferative effects of a fucan extracted from ascophyllum nodosum against a non-small-cell bronchopulmonary carcinoma line.

Fucans, sulfated polysaccharides extracted from brown seaweeds, have been shown to be endowed with inhibitory effects cell growth in various experimental models. We studied both the antiproliferative and antitumor properties of a fucoidan extract (HF) obtained from the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum on a cell line derived from a non-small-cell human bronchopulmonary carcinoma (NSCLC-N6), this type of carcinoma is particularly chemo-resistant. HF exerts in vitro a reversible antiproliferative activity with a block observed in the G1 phase the cell cycle. Studies performed with the NSCLC-bearing nude mice show antitumor activity at subtoxic doses. These preliminary results indicate that HF exhibits inhibitory effect both in vitro and in vivo and is very potent antitumor agent in cancer therapy.

[Apoptosis and human viral infections]. / Apoptose et infections virales humaines.

Homeostasis of cell numbers in tissues is maintained by a critical balance between cell proliferation and programmed cell death or apoptosis. Many human viruses are able to develop suitable strategies for modifying apoptosis in virus-infected cells and in virus-primed T cells. Apoptosis is characterized by the fragmentation of nuclear DNA into 180-200 bp apoptotic bodies and can be analysed microscopically or by flow cytometry using staining with various dyes. Moreover DNA cleavage can be identified by electrophoresis and by specific labeling using in situ nucleotidyltransferase assay (ISNT), terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling technique (Tunel), or by Elisa. Adenovirus E1A induces expression of protooncogenes c-myc and c-fos which sensitize cells to apoptosis; EBV EBNA-5, and adenovirus E1A, HPV E7, and polyomavirus large T act in the same way by displacing pRB-bound E2F. EBV EBNA-5, HPV E6, Adenovirus E1B 55 kDa inactivate the tumor suppressor protein p53 and engage the cells in the transformation process. EBV LMP-1, HHV6, and HTLV1 tax induce the antiapoptotic bcl-2 protein. EBV BHRF1 encodes proteins with homology to bcl-2 and Adenovirus E1B 19 kDa encodes proteins that have protective functions similar to bcl-2. Activated lymphocytes responding to viral infections express high levels of fas and are susceptible to apoptosis. TNF alpha can down- or up-regulate fas and down-regulates TNF-R. Adenovirus E1B 19 kDa blocks the proapoptotic activity of TNF alpha. Inversly, Cytomegalovirus, hepatitis C virus and Myxoviruses up-regulate fas antigen prior to undergoing apoptosis. In HIV-infected patients, CD4+ T-cell apoptosis is mediated by the cytopathic effect of the virus and the cell surface expression of gp 120-env protein. Moreover, an accelerated T-cell apoptosis in HIV-infected individuals is characterized by (i) HIV gp120-CD4+ cross-linking and subsequent aberrant signaling of T-cells, (ii) involvement of TNF alpha-fas/Apo-1 (TNF-R) binding, (iii) involvement of accessory cells as an apoptosis inducer and as a result of defective antigen presentation, (iv) possible superantigen activity induced by HIV products and cofactors. Many viruses also encode proteins with protease activity which could induce apoptosis. The induction of apoptosis may result in virus clearance, in contrast the inhibition of apoptosis may result in virus cell transformation and viral persistence. Indirectly, the apoptosis of infected cells may be induced by CTLs, NK cells and cytokines. In addition, apoptosis-mediated physiological depletion of T lymphocytes in the course of viral infection can silence the immune response and can induce immunodeficiency.

[Daily and seasonal rhythms of physiological functions in the adrenalectomized rat]. / Sutochnye i sezonnye ritmy fiziologicheskikh funktsii u adrenaléktomirovannykh krys.

Peculiarities of the hormonal regulation of physiological functions have been studied in intact and adrenalectomized albino rats with respect to the seasons. Glucocorticoids have been shown to determine, to a large extent, the activity of parameters of the immune system in spring, whereas in autumn their regulatory effect is most pronounced with relation to the indices of energetic homeostasis.

[Chemical composition of different sorts of soybeans and changes under the influence of weather and soil-climatic conditions]. / Khimicheskii sostav semian nekotorykh sortov soi i ego izmenenie pod vliianiem pogodnykh i pochvenno-klimaticheskikh uslovii

The biochemical composition (the content of protein and lipids, the content of essential amino acids in the protein complex, the fatty acid composition of lipids) of seeds of eighteen soyabean varieties cultivated in different soil-climatic zones under various weather conditions was examined. Changes in the biochemical parameters were primarily associated with the genotype of the variety. The effect of weather, soil and climatic conditions was less marked. With an increase of the protein content the concentration of lysine and methionine in proteins tended to decrease. As long as the oil content in seeds grew, the concentration of oleic acid increased and that of linoleic and linolenic acids decreased.