Biocrude yield and productivity from the hydrothermal liquefaction of marine and freshwater green macroalgae.

Six species of marine and freshwater green macroalgae were cultivated in outdoor tanks and subsequently converted to biocrude through hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) in a batch reactor. The influence of the biochemical composition of biomass on biocrude yield and composition was assessed. The freshwater macroalgae Oedogonium afforded the highest biocrude yield of all six species at 26.2%, dry weight (dw). Derbesia (19.7%dw) produced the highest biocrude yield for the marine species followed by Ulva (18.7%dw). In contrast to significantly different yields across species, the biocrudes elemental profiles were remarkably similar with higher heating values of 33-34MJkg(-1). Biocrude productivity was highest for marine Derbesia (2.4gm(-2)d(-1)) and Ulva (2.1gm(-2)d(-1)), and for freshwater Oedogonium (1.3gm(-2)d(-1)). These species were therefore identified as suitable feedstocks for scale-up and further HTL studies based on biocrude productivity, as a function of biomass productivity and the yield of biomass conversion to biocrude.

Biomimetic characterisation of key surface parameters for the development of fouling resistant materials.

Material science provides a direct route to developing a new generation of non-toxic, surface effect-based antifouling technologies with applications ranging from biomedical science to marine transport. The surface topography of materials directly affects fouling resistance and fouling removal, the two key mechanisms for antifouling technologies. However, the field is hindered by the lack of quantified surface characteristics to guide the development of new antifouling materials. Using a biomimetic approach, key surface parameters are defined and quantified and correlated with fouling resistance and fouling removal from the shells of marine molluscs. Laser scanning confocal microscopy was used to acquire images for quantitative surface characterisation using three-dimensional surface parameters, and field assays correlated these with fouling resistance and fouling release. Principle component analysis produced a major component (explaining 54% of total variation between shell surfaces) that correlated with fouling resistance. The five surface parameters positively correlated to increased fouling resistance were, in order of importance, low fractal dimension, high skewness of both the roughness and waviness profiles, higher values of isotropy and lower values of mean surface roughness. The second component (accounting for 20% of variation between shells) positively correlated to fouling release, for which higher values of mean waviness almost exclusively dictated this relationship. This study provides quantified surface parameters to guide the development of new materials with surface properties that confer fouling resistance and release.

MK-0703 (a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor) in acute pain associated with dental surgery: a randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active comparator-controlled dose-ranging study.

MK-0703 is a selective cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor investigated for the treatment of acute pain and inflammation. The purpose of this single-dose, randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study was to compare MK-0703 12.5, 50, and 100 mg with ibuprofen 400 mg or placebo in patients who experienced moderate to severe pain after surgical removal of at least 2 third molars. Overall analgesic effect, duration of analgesic effect, time to onset of analgesic effect, peak analgesic effect, and tolerability were assessed over a 24-hour postdose period. The primary endpoint of this study was total pain relief over 8 hours postdose. The study included 121 patients (mean age, 23 yr); 16, 31, 28, 31, and 15 patients enrolled in the placebo, MK-0703 12.5 mg, MK-0703 50 mg, MK-0703 100 mg, and ibuprofen 400 mg groups, respectively. Both MK-0703 50 and 100 mg were significantly more effective than placebo for all endpoints (P < 0.01) and comparable with ibuprofen 400 mg. The onset of analgesic effect in the MK-0703 50 mg and 100 mg and ibuprofen 400 mg groups did not differ significantly from each other (P > 0.20). MK-0703 was generally well tolerated in single doses up to 100 mg. In summary, MK-0703 50 and 100 mg were efficacious in the treatment of postoperative dental pain and were indistinguishable from the active comparator, ibuprofen 400 mg.

Comparison of rofecoxib and oxycodone plus acetaminophen in the treatment of acute pain: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with moderate to severe postoperative pain in the third molar extraction model.

BACKGROUND: Opiates, acetaminophen, nonselective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and cyclooxygenase-2-selective inhibitors such as rofecoxib are used in the treatment of acute pain because of their anti-inflammatory and/or analgesic properties. Rofecoxib has demonstrated an improved gastrointestinal safety profile compared with nonselective NSAIDs. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy and tolerability profile of rofecoxib 50 mg with those of the centrally acting, nonsalicylate, opiate/nonopiate analgesic combination oxycodone/acetominophen 5/325 in patients with pain after dental surgery. METHODS: In this randomized, double-blind, placebo- and active comparator-controlled study, patients experiencing moderate to severe postoperative pain after extraction of > or =2 third molars (including > or =1 mandibular impaction) received a single oral dose of rofecoxib 50 mg, oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/325 mg, or placebo. End points included total pain relief over 6 hours (TOPAR6, the primary end point) and 4 hours (TOPAR4), patient's global assessment of treatment at 6 hours (GLOBAL6) and 24 hours (GLOBAL24), summed pain intensity difference over 6 hours (SPID6), onset of analgesic effect (time to perceptible/meaningful pain relief, using a 2-stopwatch method), peak pain relief (PEAKPR), peak pain intensity difference (PEAKPID), and duration of analgesic effect (time to use of rescue analgesia). RESULTS: Two hundred twelve patients (63% female, 37% male; 76% white, 24% other; mean [SD] age, 20.9 [4.4] years; age range, 16-41 years) were enrolled in the study and received a single oral dose of rofecoxib 50 mg (n = 90), oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/325 mg (n = 91), or placebo (n = 31). The analgesic effect of rofecoxib was significantly greater than that of oxycodone/acetaminophen at P < 0.001 for TOPAR6, TOPAR4, GLOBAL6, GLOBAL24, and SPID6; at P < 0.010 for PEAKPR and PEAKPID; and at P < 0.001 for median time to use of rescue analgesia. Significantly fewer patients in the rofecoxib group (72.2%) took rescue analgesia within 24 hours postdose compared with the oxycodone/acetaminophen group (94.5%; P < 0.001) and the placebo group (96.8%; P < 0.02). Both active treatments were similar with respect to onset of analgesic effect. Both were generally well tolerated; the overall incidence of adverse experiences in the rofecoxib, oxycodone/acetaminophen, and placebo groups was 51.1%, 64.8%, and 48.4%, respectively. Rofecoxib was associated with a significantly lower incidence of nausea (18.9% vs 39.6%; P < 0.001) and vomiting (6.7% vs 23.1%; P < 0.001) compared with oxycodone/acetaminophen. CONCLUSIONS: In study patients with moderate to severe pain after dental surgery, rofecoxib 50 mg had a greater analgesic effect than oxycodone/acetaminophen 5/325 mg and was associated with less nausea and vomiting.

Randomized trial of cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil chemotherapy added to tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal women with node-positive estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive breast cancer: a report of the National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group. Breast Cancer Site Group.

PURPOSE AND METHODS: By the mid 1980s, tamoxifen alone was considered standard adjuvant therapy for postmenopausal women with node-positive, estrogen receptor (ER)- or progesterone receptor (PgR)-positive breast cancer. From 1984 through 1990, 705 eligible postmenopausal women with node-positive, ER- or PgR-positive breast cancer were randomized to a National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group (NCIC CTG) study that compared tamoxifen 30 mg by mouth daily for 2 years (TAM) versus TAM plus chemotherapy with all-intravenous cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m2, methotrexate 40 mg/m2, and fluorouracil 600 mg/m2 given every 21 days for eight cycles (CMF). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in overall survival, recurrence-free survival, locoregional recurrence-free survival, or distant recurrence-free survival between the two treatment arms. However, there was significantly greater severe toxicity, which included leukopenia (P < .0001), nausea and vomiting (P < .0001), and thromboembolic events (P < .0001), as well as significantly more mild or greater toxicity, which included thrombocytopenia (P = .04), anemia (P = .02), infection (P = .0004), mucositis (P = .0001), diarrhea (P = .0001), and neurologic toxicity (P = .006), in women who received TAM plus CMF. CONCLUSION: The addition of CMF to TAM adds no benefit and considerable toxicity in this group of women.

Increased thromboembolic complications with concurrent tamoxifen and chemotherapy in a randomized trial of adjuvant therapy for women with breast cancer. National Cancer Institute of Canada Clinical Trials Group Breast Cancer Site Group.

PURPOSE AND METHODS: Associations between thromboembolism and malignancy, usually widespread, and between thromboembolism and hormonal and/or chemotherapy have been previously reported. We performed a randomized trial of tamoxifen 30 mg/d for 2 years (T) versus T plus 6 months of intravenous chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil (CMF) for postmenopausal women with involved axillary nodes and positive estrogen receptor (ER) or progesterone receptor (PgR) status following primary therapy for breast cancer. RESULTS: We observed one or more thromboembolic events in 48 of 353 women (13.6%) allocated to receive T plus CMF in comparison to five of 352 women (2.6%) randomized to receive T alone (P < .0001). Six women in the T plus CMF arm, but none randomized to receive T alone, suffered two thromboembolic events while an study therapy. There were also significantly more women who developed severe (grade 3 to 5) thromboembolic events in the T plus CMF arm than in the T arm (34 v five; P < .0001). Most thromboembolic events (39 of 54) occurred while women were actually receiving chemotherapy (P < .0001). Thromboembolic complications resulted in more days in hospital and more deaths than any other complication of therapy, including infection, in this trial. CONCLUSION: Thromboembolism related to the addition of CMF chemotherapy to tamoxifen as adjuvant therapy in this group of women represents a relatively common and serious complication that may outweigh any benefits offered by this additional therapy.