Biodegradation and chemical precipitation of dissolved nutrients in anaerobically digested sludge dewatering centrate.

The objective of this research was to assess specific side-stream treatment processes for biodegradation and precipitation of dissolved nutrients in dewatering centrate. In this study, characterization was made of a conventional suspended growth deammonification treatment process for transforming dissolved polyphosphate (poly-P), dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) in two types of dewatering centrate. The deammonification process was configured as a sequencing batch reactor (SBR), combining partial nitrification and anaerobic ammonia oxidation (anammox) in a single tank. The first centrate feed studied was from the full-scale Annacis Island wastewater treatment plant (AIWWTP) located in Metro Vancouver, Canada. The second centrate feed was from a lab-scale anaerobic digester (AD) fed waste sludge from the existing City of Kelowna Wastewater Treatment Facility (KWTF), located in the Okanagan Valley, Canada. In addition, poly aluminum chloride (PACL) dosing was assessed for final polishing of dissolved nutrients. The deammonification SBR (DeSBR) process showed similar treatment characteristics for both the KWTF and AIWWTP centrates with excellent DON removal and poor non-reactive dissolved phosphorus (NRDP) removal. A statistical comparison of the DOP and poly-P through the DeSBR process suggests that DOP has a higher biodegradation potential. Future research focused on understanding the variables associated with degradation of DOP could lead to better NRDP removal through deammonification processes. Utilization of a post-anammox PACL chemical dosing stage can achieve the objective of precipitating any residual DON and NRDP and producing an effluent that has lower dissolved nutrients than the pre-digestion KWTF dewatering centrate scenario.

[Chronic diarrhea due to Cryptosporidium: the efficacy of spiramycin treatment]. / Diarrea cronica da cryptosporidium: efficacia del trattamento con Spiramicina.

Cryptosporidium has received increasing attention as a pathogen in normal as well as immunocompromised persons. We report a case of cryptosporidiosis occurred in a 18-months-old-girl who was treated with spiramycin for 8 days with complete resolution of diarrhea within the first days of therapy; follow-up stool examination was negative for the protozoan. The incidence of diarrhea due to Cryptosporidium seems to be higher than it was reported before: so fecal samples, when negative for other etiological agents, should be examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts. Spiramycin seems to be an effective and well-tolerated drug: treatment is recommended in children with prolonged and/or severe diarrhea when Cryptosporidium seems to be the etiological cause of the disease.

[Diphosphonates. Current trends and therapeutic prospects]. / I difosfonati. Attualità e prospettive terapeutiche.

Diphosphonates are compounds characterized by a P-C-P bond. They are thus analogs of pyrophosphate and can be useful for treating several bone diseases. The authors synthetically review the mechanism of action of these drugs and their most important clinical applications. The authors finally mention the interesting therapeutic possibilities deriving from the development of new members of this class.

[Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva or Münchmeyer's disease]. / La fibrodisplasia ossificante progressiva o malattia di Münchmeyer.

Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva is a heritable and generalized disorder of connective tissue, characterized by the appearance of bony tissue within the striated muscles, tendons and ligaments; moreover, some skeletal abnormalities may also occur, mainly microdactyly of the big toes. This is a very rare disease, which presents in early life; its course is unavoidably progressive, producing a sort of petrifaction of the patient some years after the first symptoms. It is defined as an autosomal dominant trait, being due in most cases to a new mutation. At present no known treatment is available to stop the course of the disease, but sometimes disodium etidronate may be effective in preventing calcification of heterotopic bony tissue.

[Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva or Münchmeyer's disease. Personal observation]. / La fibrodisplasia ossificante progressiva o malattia di Münchmeyer. Osservazione personale.

We report here a case of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva in a 14-year-old boy, affected from birth by microdactyly of the big toes. This skeletal abnormality also existed in his paternal great-grandfather. When he was 7, some ectopic ossifications occurred and inexorably progressed despite all therapies. Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva is a serious and rare disease with a terrible development, leading to a sort of petrifaction of the patient. The lack of knowledge on this ectopic ossification process explains the want of suitable treatments to stop the course of this disease.

[Kawasaki disease in a subject with G6PD deficiency]. / Malattia di Kawasaki in un soggetto con deficit di G6PD.

A case of Kawasaki disease in an 8 year old boy affected by G6PD deficiency is described. The patient couldn't be treated with aminosalicylic acid but he received 400 mg/Kg/die of gammaglobulin from 13th to 18th day. No coronary complications occurred, even if coagulopathy was documented, and platelets activation was back to normal three months after the beginning of the disease.

[Poland's syndrome. Presentation of a case of probable vascular origin]. / La sindrome di Poland. Presentazione di un caso a probabile origine vascolare.

A new case of Poland syndrome in a male newborn is described. The infant shows typical anomalies of the right hand and ipsilateral pectoral muscle agenesis. The arterial pressure is lower when measured at the affected limb than at the contralateral, suggesting that a vascular pathogenesis could be involved.

[Hypersensitivity angiitis or microscopic polyarteritis nodosa. Recent findings. III. Pathologic anatomy, etiopathogenetic aspects and therapeutic approach]. / Angioite da ipersensibilità o poliarterite nodosa microscopica. Recenti acquisizioni. Nota III. Anatomia patologica, aspetti eziopatogenetici e approccio terapeutico.

Histologically hypersensitivity angiitis produces necrotising inflammation of the small arterial and venous blood vessels. In most cases the inflammatory infiltrate presents leucocytoclasia i.e. nuclear leucocytic detritus. Unlike polyarteritis nodosa, hypersensitivity angiitis does not affect the medium sized arteries though its lesions are produced at the same stage of development. At skin level, the postcapillary venules are the vessels most often affected. Fibrinoid necrosis of the glomerular loops of the kidney may arise and is often accompanied by epithelial crescents. Aetiologically, a variety of agents--bacteria, viruses, drugs, toxic substances--have been held responsible for the disease, though very often the cause cannot be identified. The most widely based on the finding of immunocomplexes, though other immunological disorders might be involved. Treatment involves the elimination of the antigen held responsible, the suppression of the immune response, the removal of circulating immunocomplexes and the use of anti-inflammatory drugs.

[Hypersensitivity angiitis or microscopic polyarteritis nodosa. Recent findings. II. Clinical aspects]. / Angioite da ipersensibilità o poliarterite nodosa microscopica. Recenti acquisizioni. Nota II. Clinica.

Hypersensitivity angiitis is one of the commonest necrotising vasculitides. Given the ubiquitous distribution of the small blood vessels almost any part of the body may be affected. However benign forms predominantly involving the skin are the most common. Forms predominantly involving the viscera and that may prove fatal are rare. Among the polymorphous skin lesions encountered "palpable purpura" is the most common and its palpability is a vital element in differential diagnosis. Among non-cutaneous sites the kidneys are the most frequent and glomerular involvement is the commonest cause of death. Though laboratory tests provide no specific data they may indicate the severity of visceral involvement.

[Angiitis caused by hypersensitivity or microscopic polyarteritis nodosa. Recent findings. I. Nosographic aspects]. / Angioite da ipersensibilità o poliarterite nodosa microscopica. Recenti acquisizioni. Nota I. Aspetti nosografici.

Hypersensitivity angiitis or microscopic polyarteritis nodosa is one of the necrotising angiitis and was not distinguished from classic polyarteritis nodosa until the Fifties. The present study examines the nosographic aspects of necrotising angiitides with reference to the anatomohistological, aetiopathogenic and clinical criteria proposed by various Authors for their identification and with emphasis on the fact that all these factors must be borne in mind for the purpose of diagnosis. The factors that make it possible to distinguish hypersensitivity angiitis from other necrotising angiitides are, at clinical level, the presence of skin lesions, and in anatomohistological terms the involvement of the small blood vessels and leucocytoclasia.