Valorization of pretreated biogas digestate with black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, L; Diptera: Stratiomyidae) larvae.

Increasing concerns related to the negative environmental impacts of food waste havemotivated the development of new solutions to complete the waste cycle of organic residues. One particular "waste" product, the solid digestate from anaerobic digestion, has been identified for further bioprocessing. Black soldier fly (BSF, Hermetia illucens) larvae are known for their great potential in the processing of organic waste. In this study, this potential was investigated to further process the digestate waste stream. Digestate is considered a low potential source of nutrients for larvae due to the presence of different fiber fractions. However, the lignocellulosic matter in this residue could be enzymatically hydrolyzed to release residual carbohydrates. For this study, digestate from a full-scale anaerobic digestion plant in Quebec (Canada) which processes a range of feedstocks (fruits, vegetables, garden wastes, sludge derived from dairy processing and wastewater treatment) was sourced. Digestate was treated with Accelerase® DUET enzyme complex to hydrolyze lignocellulosic matter and compared to a standard diet. For each treatment, 600 four-day old larvae were fed daily with 160 g (70% relative humidity) of diets for 6 days and harvested 3 days later. Although their growth and total biomass were significantly lower than the standard diet, larvae fed on hydrolyzed digestate were almost two times larger than the larvae fed on crude digestate. Furthermore, the content of organic matter, lipids and minerals in the diets and frass were analyzed. Finally, the feasibility of applying BSF treatment for digestate valorization is discussed. According to this study, enzyme-treated digestate does not allow efficient larval growth compared to the standard diet. The development of a more effective method of pretreatment is required for BSF larvae to become an eco-friendly solution for digestate valorization.

Validation of the Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire (LYMQOL) in Dutch Patients Diagnosed with Lymphoedema of the Lower Limbs.

BACKGROUND: The Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire is a validated disease-specific instrument to measure the impact of lymphoedema on patients' lives. In this study, we tested its psychometric properties and validated the use of the questionnaire in its Dutch translation. METHODS: We obtained the answers to a standardised questionnaire, including Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire and Short-Form (36) Health Survey, twice at an interval of 2 weeks in 60 patients with lower limb lymphoedema. Feasibility was tested on the basis of missing responses and response distribution. Structure was studied using factor analysis. The reliability of the Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire was assessed using Crohnbach's α and test-retest reliability. Construct validity was tested by correlating Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire scores with the Short-Form (36) Health Survey scores. RESULTS: The response rate was 88.2%. One of the 22 items missed >10% of responses; another showed a borderline ceiling effect. Internal consistency was good and test-retest reliability was excellent. The Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire correlated well with the physical component of the Short-Form (36) Health Survey and moderately with the mental component, suggesting that its construct validity was good. CONCLUSION: The Dutch Lymphoedema Quality-of-Life Questionnaire can be used for health-related quality-of-life research in lower limb lymphoedema patients.

A simple method to assess severity of polymorphic light eruption.

BACKGROUND: The severity of polymorphic light eruption (PLE) is highly variable. The results of studies of the prevalence, pathogenesis, provocation and treatment of PLE may be highly dependent on the severity of disease in the patients studied. OBJECTIVES: To produce a simple, valid and reproducible method to assess the severity of PLE. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty patients were asked about the PLE they had experienced during the preceding 12 months, using a standardized interview comprising 16 questions. The answer to each question received a score. A PLE Severity Index (PLESI) was formulated, consisting of 10 questions, with a possible total score of 2-100. The internal consistency of the PLESI (the extent to which the responses to different questions correlated with each other) was assessed by reliability analysis, using Cronbach's method. Twenty patients were re-interviewed 7-27 days later to assess the repeatability of the PLESI. The ease of provocation of PLE by exposure at 24-h intervals to solar-simulated radiation was assessed on a five-point scale in nine of the 80 subjects (the EOPSSR score). RESULTS: The value of Cronbach's alpha for the PLESI was 0.77. The distribution of the PLESI was consistent with a normal distribution, with a mean value of 52.7 and standard deviation of 19.4. It had a coefficient of repeatability of 20.1. The PLESI was positively correlated with EOPSSR (rs =0.69, P = 0.039) and the number of years since onset of PLE (rs = 0.25, P = 0.03). There was no association between the PLESI and the duration of persistence of the eruption after ceasing sun exposure (rs = 0.12, P = 0.30), the development of tolerance as summer progressed (rs = -0.14, P = 0.39), gender (P = 0.50) or skin type (P = 0.87). CONCLUSIONS: This study has (i) validated the concept that a single score can reflect disease severity in PLE by showing that the principal characteristics of the condition, including, for example, the extent of anatomical distribution and the ease of provocation of the eruption, correlate with each other; (ii) formulated the PLESI, which is a simple, valid and reproducible way of assessing disease severity; we suggest it could be used worldwide to determine the severity of PLE among patients enrolled in future PLE research; (iii) shown that the ease with which the eruption is provoked by solar-simulated radiation correlates with the severity of the condition; and (iv) shown that the duration of persistence of the eruption after sun exposure does not correlate with the severity of the condition.