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Potato production requires intensive nitrogen (N) fertilization. To maintain yield and profitability, potato farmers must satisfy the need of the crops for N by applying fertilizer during the growing season. Petiole nitrate analysis and whole leaf total N test have been studied before to guide in-season N application, and both have strengths and weaknesses. Whole vine total N test has been discussed by the US potato industry as another diagnostic tool to understand the overall N uptake of the plant, but little data are available. A 2-year field study was conducted at the University of Wisconsin Hancock Agricultural Research Station in 2018 and 2019 with the objective to compare three diagnostic tools, petiole nitrate analysis, whole leaf total N test and whole vine total N test, for identifying the nutrient status of two chipping potato cultivars subjected to five different N rates. It was found that petiole nitrate analysis is still the most responsive method to reflect supplemental N application during the growing season and is the most relevant to final tuber yield. Whole leaf total N test is less responsive, but it can reflect plant N uptake up to the date of testing. Comparatively, whole vine total N test is not acceptable because of the excessive amount of time needed to collect and process the samples, and the concern over whether or not the sample tested in the last step of analysis is representative. Future diagnostic tools using cutting-edge remote sensing and machine learning technologies that can detect spatial variability should be developed to further enhance the effectiveness of in-season N monitoring, which is critical for sustainable potato production.

Pellets from fen paludicultures (Typha ssp. and Phalaris arundinacea) were produced, analysed and combusted in a 15 kW pellet boiler at TFZ. Fuels comprised both of pure and kaolin additivated pellets as well as of paludiculture-wood-pellet blendings. Standard ENplus wood pellets (A1 quality) were used as a reference fuel. Gaseous and total particulate matter (TPM) emissions as well as slagging tendencies were measured. Typha ssp. showed high CO and particle emissions while Phalaris arundinacea showed an increased risk of slag formation. Additivation with kaolin did neither improve emission behaviour nor slagging tendencies at the applied additivation levels following the guidelines of the ERA-NET project "BIOFLEX!". Blending with wood pellets strongly reduced NOX, SOX and HCl emissions. Overall, combustion of fen paludicultures in small-scale boilers remains challenging and requires a dedicated boiler technology., Proceedings of the 30th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 9-12 May 2022, Online, pp. 653-656

Fuel quality and combustion behaviour of agricultural pellets from paludiculture straw were tested within the research project “MOORuse”. Pellets were produced from Typha ssp., Phragmites australis, Phalaris arundinacea and Carex ssp..Additivation of pellets with kaolin was applied to reduce particle emissions and slagging. Physical fuel properties of pellets met the requirements of ISO 17225-6. Chemical fuel properties(e.g.K and Na content) indicated high TPM emissions for Typha ssp. Distinct slagging for the other species were predicted (e.g. by Si/K-index). During combustion in a small-scale biomass boiler (30 kW), CO and TPM emissions were high for Typha ssp. (CO: 292 mg/m3, TPM: 115 mg/m3, STC) but were reduced by additivation with 2.3 w-% kaolin (CO: 143 mg/m3, TPM: 94 mg/m3, STC). Slagging was high for Phragmites australis, Phalaris arundinacea and Carex ssp. with >40 w-% of total ash consisting of particles >8 mm. Additivation had no positive effect on slagging. In conclusion, paludiculture pellets are challenging fuels that require sufficient fuel upgrading, e. g. by additivation or fuel blending, and a suitable boiler technique that fulfils the legal requirements for the combustion of agricultural fuels in Germany. These requirements are easier met by medium sized combustions plants >100 kW., Proceedings of the 29th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 26-29 April 2021, Online, pp. 399-407

Wood pellets typically consist of sprucebut also other wood species are added during pellet production. Moreover, additives such as binders and kaolin are added in small ratios to improve fuel quality and combustion behavior.In this study eight different wood species were used for pellet production as well as three binders and one type of kaolin were added to sprucewood without bark, using two additivation levels. All wood pellet assortments were extensively analyzed regarding their physical and chemical properties and combusted in a 6 kW pellet stove and a 15 kW pellet boiler. The results confirmed a significant impact of the wood species on emissions for the pellet stove ranging between 85 (douglas fir) and 4,189 mg/Nm³ (apple wood) for CO and 23 (pine wood) and 263 mg/Nm³ (apple wood)for total particulate matter(TPM)-emission. Similar combustion behaviour was observed for the pellet boiler test but at a lower emission level. For wood species with a high molar Si/K-ratio,lower emissions but also serious slagging was observed. Binders may affect emissions when high additivation levels are used depending on the kind of binder. Kaolin reduced CO and TPMemissions as well as slag formation, when the additivation level was according to appropriate stoichiometric calculations. When kaolin is overdosed it may have negative impact on TPM emissions due to entrainment or problems caused by the higher ash content. Additionally, slagging is increased by high additivation levels of kaolin. Generally,at the current state of the art the pellet stove technology shows larger susceptibility towards variable pellet qualities compared to automatic pellet boilers., Proceedings of the 29th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 26-29 April 2021, Online, pp. 389-398

Careful operation during fuel production is essential to avoid highshares of mineral soil inwood chips leading to contamination of the biofuels. This can result in elevated gaseous and particulate emissions, corrosion or slag formation during combustion in the biomass boiler. To investigate this effect, stemwood and forest residue wood chip fuels were contaminated with mineral soil at two different ratios. Contamination was done using three typical forest soils from Bavaria (soil A, B and C). Total particulate matter (TPM) emissions increased for wood chips that when contaminated with soil A and C, compared to the reference fuel, but emissions for wood chips contaminated with soil B remained constant. Carbon monoxide (CO) and organic gaseous carbon (OGC) emissions decreased for contaminated wood chips. For NOX emissions, no clear effect was observed. Overall, the contamination of woody biomass had a noticeable effect on pollutant emissions and should be avoided., Proceedings of the 29th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 26-29 April 2021, Online, pp. 662-667

Potato is the largest non-cereal food crop in the world. Timely estimation of end-of-season tuber production using in-season information can inform sustainable agricultural management decisions that increase productivity while reducing impacts on the environment. Recently, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have become increasingly popular in precision agriculture due to their flexibility in data acquisition and improved spatial and spectral resolutions. In addition, compared with natural color and multispectral imagery, hyperspectral data can provide higher spectral fidelity which is important for modelling crop traits. In this study, we conducted end-of-season potato tuber yield and tuber set predictions using in-season UAV-based hyperspectral images and machine learning. Specifically, six mainstream machine learning models, i.e., ordinary least square (OLS), ridge regression, partial least square regression (PLSR), support vector regression (SVR), random forest (RF), and adaptive boosting (AdaBoost), were developed and compared across potato research plots with different irrigation rates at the University of Wisconsin Hancock Agricultural Research Station. Our results showed that the tuber set could be better predicted than the tuber yield, and using the multi-temporal hyperspectral data improved the model performance. Ridge achieved the best performance for predicting tuber yield (R2 = 0.63) while Ridge and PLSR had similar performance for predicting tuber set (R2 = 0.69). Our study demonstrated that hyperspectral imagery and machine learning have good potential to help potato growers efficiently manage their irrigation practices.

A critical step in profitable post-harvest potato storage management is to cure tubers at appropriate temperatures long enough for rapid wound-healing to prevent disease and defect development, but not too long to jeopardize storage quality. A two-year storage study was conducted in macro-storage totes at the University of Wisconsin Hancock storage research facility to evaluate the effects of higher wound-healing temperatures (15.6 &deg, C, 18.3 &deg, C) imposed for different durations, and compare them to the U.S. potato industry&rsquo, s standard practice (12.8 &deg, C), on weight loss and frying quality of multiple processing potato varieties during long-term storage. It was found that in the experimental setting of this study, warmer wound-healing temperatures resulted in (1) less weight loss, particularly during the early storage season across varieties, (2) ameliorated senescent sweetening of the Snowden variety, (3) improved fry quality of the Russet Burbank variety, (4) and no apparent disease spread during long-term storage if tubers were harvested healthy out of fields. Overall, no significant difference was found between 15.6 &deg, C and 18.3 &deg, C regarding their treatment effects. Our conclusion is that compared to the current standard practice, higher wound-healing temperatures may have the potential benefits of improving potato storage quality while reducing the economic penalty associated with weight loss for specific varieties, but tubers should be healthy at harvest in order to gain the benefits. Further research is needed to test if those benefits of higher wound-healing temperatures hold true in large-scale commercial storage facilities.

Uncertainty exists regarding the depth and extent to which agricultural practices affect soil properties, in particular soil organic C (SOC). In this study we examined the impact of 53 yr of continuous corn (Zea mays L.) receiving varying rates of inorganic N fertilizer with complete stover return on soil properties including SOC, total N, and bulk density (BD) to a depth of 1 m. In the treatment receiving virtually no applied N there was a significant reduction in soil N content at 0 to 30 cm over the study period, while the treatment receiving N in excess of recommended application levels was similar to the treatment receiving recommended rates of N fertilizer. Trends in SOC content were similar to those for total N, but a significant treatment effect was detectable throughout the entire 1-m soil profile sampled. Over the course of the study, all experimental fields appeared to have lost approximately 6 cm of topsoil through erosion, with the lowest N rate plots subsiding a further 2 cm due to compaction. Despite using disruptive management practices (moldboard plowing and application of anhydrous ammonia), declines in soil C and N content were not apparent for this soil type under conditions of low slope and the linear gains in productivity realized under the two higher N rate treatments. Thus N fertilizer was a benefit to this cropping system, rather than a detriment, and was sufficient to allow maintenance—but not building—of SOC.

Firewood stoves may cause high particulate matter (PM) and gaseous emissions, and user behaviour is an important influence, although to date only rarely quantified. Therefore, a manually operated modern firewood stove (7 kW) was selected and tested on a combustion test stand in a comprehensive experimental plan where in total 5 stove ignition variants (cold starts at natural draught) and 9 stove operational variants were investigated, each in 3 replications. Ignition variants differed in the position of starter blocks igniters as well in the orientation and position of wood logs and kindling used, including the “top down” and “bottom up” ignition modes, which both were additionally tested in a setup with controlled chimney draught at -12 Pa. Operational variants comprised a refilling according to the stove user manual (a), different primary air settings (b), overload of fuel (c), different moisture contents between 7 and 30 w-% (d), too long logs (e), delayed recharging (f) a "quasi-continuous" charging of individual logs (g). The ignition from the bottom caused lower CO-, OGC, and PM-emissions compared to the ignition from the top, but highest concentrations were observed when using crumped newspaper as igniter from the bottom in an "inaccurate" fuel arrangement. In subsequent batches the firewood stove performed very well when operated according to the user manual (CO: 1,687 mg/m3; OGC: 212 mg/m3; PM: 22 mg/m3, related to 13 % O2-conc.). Highest emissions were released when the primary air flap remained open after the ignition batch (CO: 9,379 mg/m3; OGC: 1,283 mg/m3; PM: 142 mg/m3). Such maloperation would be avoided if the stove was equipped with a relatively simple automatic combustion air control. High emissions also occurred when the stove was recharged after the flames were already extinguished or when the fuel was too wet. By throttling the combustion air flow, the CO emissions were increased by the factor 1.7 compared to the proper stove operation. Similarly, an overfilling of the combustion chamber also led to increased gaseous emissions. The use of too long wood logs, too dry wood or the continuous refilling with single logs led to similar or slightly lower gaseous and particulate matter emissions compared an orderly stove operation as defined as reference case., Proceedings of the 27th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 27-30 May 2019, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 409-418

Due to careless operation during fuel production, considerable shares of mineral soil might be added to wood chips and wood pellets leading to contamination of the biofuels. This can result in high gaseous and particle emissions, corrosion or slag formation during combustion. To investigate this effect, four pellet fuels were produced at TFZ using coniferous wood of Norwegian spruce, i. e. a pure sample as reference and three pellets that were contaminated with different mineral soils (2 w-%). The contaminated pellets had significantly higher ash contents (2.47 to 2.63 w-%, d.b.) compared to the reference fuel (0.83 w-%, d.b.). The reference sample fulfilled the specifications for A2 according to DIN EN ISO 17225-2, while the contaminated pellets only met the I3 quality criteria. A visual differentiation between contaminated and uncontaminated fuels was not possible. The pellets were combusted in a pellet boiler with a nominal heat output of 15 kW. During combustion of the contaminated pellets, the boiler shut down because of to severe slag and ash formation after 118, 120 and 278 minutes of full load operation. Particle emissions and NOX decreased for the soil contaminated pellets compared to the reference fuel while SOX increased. Carbon monoxide was on a very low level for all fuel assortments. A final interpretation of the correlation between soil contamination of wood pellets and their respective emission behaviour is not possible yet as analysis of chemical element concentration is still ongoing. Overall, the contamination of woody biomass had a noticeable effect on emissions and on the continuous, undisturbed operation of the pellet boiler and should be avoided., Proceedings of the 27th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 27-30 May 2019, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 673-680

The use of wood pellets is steadily increasing in the European Union. The majority of wood pellets on the German market carry the label ENplus indicating a consistent fuel quality. In order to prove this assumption 42 different pellet samples in bags were collected and extensively analyzed. This included combustion properties, physical properties as well as their chemical composition. Eight of the 42 samples did not fulfil the requirements for the standard DIN EN ISO 17225-2. But overall a positive result for wood pellets quality on the German and European market was confirmed. Interestingly, large differences in potassium content (between 280 and 900 mg/kg) which can influence the amount of particle emission were observed. During the combustion of 12 selected pellet samples, no clear dependency between flue gas emission and ash content, potassium content, bulk density or pellet length were found. Therefore, the selection of the fuel can lead to big uncertainties during the combustion in pellet stoves. This has to be further investigated in order to maybe fine the yet unknown pellet parameter influencing the emission behavior in a pellet stove., Proceedings of the 27th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 27-30 May 2019, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 667-672

Anaerobic storage of wood chips from forest residues and from short rotation coppice was investigated regarding dry matter losses and fuel quality changes using three approaches, i.e. small storage container (including greenhouse gas (GHG) measurements), small-scale silos of 2 m3 volume and a small wood chip pile (12 m3). After storage, selected wood chip samples were combusted in a 30 kW wood chip boiler and relevant emissions (CO, NOX, particles) were measured. Container trials allowed for best anaerobic conditions reducing dry matter losses to a minimum of 2 w-% after 5 months of storage. Silos proved not to be completely air tight as moisture content increased by 4.2 to 10.4 w-% due to precipitation and distinct dry matter losses were recorded. Still, dry matter losses were lower in silo trials compared to storage in a pile. During combustion, CO and particle emissions increased in naturally stored materials compared to technically dried fuels, probably due to changes in their woody structure but also due to an increase in chemical elements such as potassium. In conclusion, anaerobic storage seems to be an interesting option to reduce dry matter losses. Future studies should focus on the applicability of this technique under practical conditions (e.g. in large driving silos) and on further combustion trials., Proceedings of the 27th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 27-30 May 2019, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 630-636

Imaging spectroscopy provides the opportunity to monitor nutrient status of vegetation. In crops, prior studies have generally been limited in scope, either to a small wavelength range (e.g., 400–1300 nm), a small number of crop cultivars, a single growth stage or single growing season. Methods that are not time- or site-specific are needed to use imaging spectroscopy for routine monitoring of crop status. Using data from four cultivars of potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.), three growth stages and two growing seasons, we demonstrate the capacity of full-range (400–2350 nm) imaging spectroscopy to quantify nutrient status (petiole nitrate, whole leaf and vine total nitrogen) and predict tuber yield in potatoes across cultivars, growth stages and growing seasons. We specifically tested the capabilities of: (1) ordinary least-squares regression (OLSR) using traditional hyperspectral vegetation indices (VIs); (2) partial least-squares regression (PLSR) using full spectrum (400–2350 nm), VNIR- (visible-to-near infrared: 400–1300 nm) or SWIR-only (shortwave infrared: 1400–2350 nm) wavelengths; (3) predictive models developed for one potato type or planting season on withheld data from a different type or season. Our results show that OLSR models produced poor predictions with data from all dates pooled together (validation R2

Two types of standing losses were investigated: heat losses though the chimney without any heating operation (cold standing losses) and the post heating losses (losses during chimney cool down)., Proceedings of the 24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-9 June 2016, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 646-650

To meet the strict emission thresholds for log wood stoves foam ceramic elements (filters or catalysts) could be an alternative to electrostatic precipitators. To evaluate the potential of foam ceramic elements three differently aged foam ceramic filters and one retrofit foam ceramic catalyst were tested in a log wood stove applying a "close to real life" test cycle. Results show that foam ceramic filters without catalyst coating provide no appreciable emission improvement under practical conditions. When the foam ceramic was catalytically coated while having the same flow properties, the reduction effects were significant: -46 % for carbon monoxide (CO), -21 % for non-methane-organic gaseous carbon (non-methane OGC) and -10 % for particulate matter (PM). When operated in partial load the reductions were: -47 % for CO, -23 % for non-methane-OGC and -12 % for PM. No effect on NOx concentration was observed for any of the tested variants. Foam ceramic elements can reduce gaseous flue gas emissions (CO, OGC) from log wood stoves noticeably, if they have been catalytically activated. For general recommendation in real life applications this finding should however be verified in long term field tests., Proceedings of the 24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 6-9 June 2016, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 393-398

From May 1978 through September 1980, baseline data for rodent populations were collected by live-trapping in the Saval Ranch area of northeastern Nevada. The objectives of this study were to determine species composition and relative abundance of rodents for the various range sites. The 3 most abundant and uniformly distributed species were deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), Great Basin pocket mice (Perognathus parvus), and least chipmunks (Neotamias minimus). Relative abundance indices and densities reported for most species were similar to those reported in other multiyear studies at similar sites. The composition and relative abundance/density of rodent species was variable among habitats and over time. Diverse rodent species within the sagebrush ecosystem have commensurately diverse habitat requirements that should be considered when vegetation management is planned. Annual population fluctuations and differences among similar habitats should be considered when researchers propose to test r...

The literature has been reviewed for contact dermatitis from topical antiviral drugs. 15 agents have been identified including acyclovir, imiquimod, podophyllin, podofilox, cidofovir, penciclovir, vidarabine, idoxuridine, trifluridine, tromantadine, lamivudine, interferon intralesional injections and ophthalmic solution, fomivirsen and foscarnet intravitreal injections and ganciclovir intraocular implants. Patch testing has been documented in certain individuals and cross-sensitization has been observed to contribute significantly to some allergic reactions.

A review of the literature has identified 10 agents causing contact dermatitis among topically administered drugs for glaucoma. These agents include beta-blockers (timolol, befunolol, betaxolol, levobunolol, carteolol, metipranolol), a carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (dorzolamide), a parasympathomimetic (pilocarpine), and sympathomimetics (dipivefrin, apraclonidine). Patch testing has been documented in certain individuals as well as cross sensitization and reactivity. Systemic reactions to these topically applied medications have been briefly noted.

N-Acetylcysteine is useful as a mucolytic agent for treatment of chronic bronchitis and other pulmonary diseases complicated by the production of viscous mucus. It is also used as an antidote to paracetamol (acetaminophen) poisoning and found to be effective for the prevention of cardiotoxicity by doxorubicin and haemorrhagic cystitis from oxazaphosphorines. After an oral dose of N-acetylcysteine 200 to 400 mg the peak plasma concentration of 0.35 to 4 mg/L is achieved within 1 to 2 hours. Although the data are conflicting, it appears that the administration of charcoal may interfere with drug absorption, with up to 96% of the drug adsorbed on to the charcoal. Information on absorption in the presence of food or other drugs is not available. The volume of distribution ranges from 0.33 to 0.47 L/kg and protein binding is significant, reaching approximately 50% 4 hours after the dose. Pharmacokinetic information is not available as to whether or not N-acetylcysteine crosses the blood-brain barrier or placenta, or into breast milk. Renal clearance has been reported as 0.190 to 0.211 L/h/kg and approximately 70% of the total body clearance is nonrenal. Following oral administration, reduced N-acetylcysteine has a terminal half-life of 6.25h. Little is known of the metabolism of this agent, although it is believed to be rapidly metabolised and incorporated on to proteins. The major excretory product is inorganic sulphate. Frequently reported side effects are nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Biochemical and haematological adverse effects are observed but are not clinically relevant. Drug interactions of clinical significance have been observed with paracetamol, glutathione and anticancer agents.

To determine whether close collaboration between a neck ultrasound-certified endocrinologist and a skilled endocrine surgeon can optimize minimally invasive radio-guided parathyroidectomy (MIRP) surgical outcomes.Outcome data were collected on patients with primary hyperparathyroidism whom we intended to treat with MIRP at the induction of anesthesia between October 1, 2005, and December 31, 2007. Patients underwent preoperative gamma camera sestamibi scanning (GCSS), intraoperative gamma probe sestamibi scanning (IOSS), and preoperative neck ultrasonography. Intraoperative parathyroid hormone (PTH) monitoring was performed. Postoperative surgical success was defined as a serum calcium concentration between 8.0 and 10.4 mg/dL within 4 weeks of surgery.During the study period, MIRP was planned for 46 patients. Of the 46 patients, 39 had preoperative neck ultrasonography; 7 underwent evaluation by an endocrinologist or internist who was not ultrasound certified and they therefore did not undergo preoperative ultrasonography. IOSS correctly identified 1 adenomatous gland in 38 of 46 patients (83%), while GCSS correctly localized 1 adenomatous gland in 30 of 46 patients (65%). In 11 GCSS-negative patients, IOSS identified the abnormal gland in 7 (64%), while ultrasonography identified the abnormal gland in 8 (73%). The surgical approach was converted to traditional parathyroidectomy in 3 patients. Every patient exhibited at least a 51% drop in intraoperative PTH levels with resection of the final adenoma; average decrement for the entire group was 79 +/- 8% from the highest baseline level. Forty-five patients (98%) demonstrated sustained normalization of serum calcium within several days of surgery.A collaborative endocrinology and surgical endocrine oncology practice arrangement, emphasizing careful preoperative physician-supervised neck ultrasonography and the use of intraoperative PTH measurement, optimizes MIRP outcomes.

This article examines the detection, assessment, and therapeutic modalities available for tuberculosis meningitis. Without appropriate treatment this disease is fatal within 2 months of development, and mortality is closely associated with the stage of disease upon initiation of chemotherapy. Initial lumbar puncture reveals smear-positive acid-fast bacilli in up to 40% in most series; however, repeat examinations increase the yield, via direct smear, to as high as 87%. Analysis of cerebrospinal fluid is described, along with advanced techniques for early detection of this infection. Eight antituberculosis agents have known penetration into the cerebrospinal fluid. The most important prognostic factor is the neurological stage at which the individual presents at the initiation of therapy. Various chemotherapeutic approaches are available but it appears the use of rifampicin (rifampin) with isoniazid-containing regimens gives the best results. Regardless of the therapy undertaken, a significant number of individuals are left with some degree of neurological deficit. The roles of bacillus of Calmette and Guérin (BCG) vaccine, steroids, and neurosurgery in the treatment of this disease are also discussed.

The authors report a case of endometriosis that presented as a cystic mass in the tail of the pancreas, leading to extensive evaluation and ultimately a major surgical resection. The diagnosis was made by histopathological evaluation, revealing endometrial glands and stroma in the wall of the mass with hemorrhagic fluid in the cystic lumen, compatible with pancreatic involvement by an endometrial cyst.

Tuberculosis and malaria together result in an estimated 5 million deaths annually. The spread of multidrug resistance in the most pathogenic causative agents, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Plasmodium falciparum, underscores the need to identify active compounds with novel inhibitory properties. Although genetically unrelated, both organisms use a type II fatty-acid synthase system. Enoyl acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR), a key type II enzyme, has been repeatedly validated as an effective antimicrobial target. Using high throughput inhibitor screens with a combinatorial library, we have identified two novel classes of compounds with activity against the M. tuberculosis and P. falciparum enzyme (referred to as InhA and PfENR, respectively). The crystal structure of InhA complexed with NAD+ and one of the inhibitors was determined to elucidate the mode of binding. Structural analysis of InhA with the broad spectrum antimicrobial triclosan revealed a unique stoichiometry where the enzyme contained either a single triclosan molecule, in a configuration typical of other bacterial ENR:triclosan structures, or harbored two triclosan molecules bound to the active site. Significantly, these compounds do not require activation and are effective against wild-type and drug-resistant strains of M. tuberculosis and P. falciparum. Moreover, they provide broader chemical diversity and elucidate key elements of inhibitor binding to InhA for subsequent chemical optimization.

This case report describes a rare dermatologic reaction in a patient after administration of pneumococcal vaccine. A 65-year-old man developed an extensive dermatitis with pruritus, urticaria, and petechiae 1 week after receiving an intramuscular injection o the vaccine. The reaction resolved with application of topical steroids and oral diphenhydramine hydrochloride. This case report and others in the literature suggest the importance of recognizing the possibility of cutaneous adverse reactions with vaccines, such as the pneumococcal vaccine, which in general have a good safety profile.

Corynebacterium minutissimum is the bacteria that leads to cutaneous eruptions of erythrasma and is the most common cause of interdigital foot infections. It is found mostly in occluded intertriginous areas such as the axillae, inframammary areas, interspaces of the toes, intergluteal and crural folds, and is more common in individuals with diabetes mellitus than other clinical patients. This organism can be isolated from a cutaneous site along with a concurrent dermatophyte or Candida albicans infection. The differential diagnosis of erythrasma includes psoriasis, dermatophytosis, candidiasis and intertrigo, and methods for differentiating include Wood's light examination and bacterial and mycological cultures. Erythromycin 250mg four times daily for 14 days is the treatment of choice and other antibacterials include tetracycline and chloramphenicol; however, the use of chloramphenicol is limited by bone marrow suppression potentially leading to neutropenia, agranulocytosis and aplastic anaemia. Further studies are needed but clarithromycin may be an additional drug for use in the future. Where there is therapeutic failure or intertriginous involvement, topical solutions such as clindamycin, Whitfield's ointment, sodium fusidate ointment and antibacterial soaps may be required for both treatment and prophylaxis. Limited studies on the efficacy of these medications exist, however, systemic erythromycin demonstrates cure rates as high as 100%. Compared with tetracyclines, systemic erythromycin has greater efficacy in patients with involvement of the axillae and groin, and similar efficacy for interdigital infections. Whitfield's ointment has equal efficacy to systemic erythromycin in the axillae and groin, but shows greater efficacy in the interdigital areas and is comparable with 2% sodium fusidate ointment for treatment of all areas. Adverse drug effects and potential drug interactions need to be considered. No cost-effectiveness data are available but there are limited data on cost-related treatment issues. A guideline is proposed for the detection, evaluation, treatment and prophylaxis of this cutaneous eruption.

The successful treatment of a large sacral pressure sore with calcium sodium alginate dressings is described

A key was used to classify articles about livestock influences on riparian zones and fish habitat into 3 classes: papers that contained original data, those that were commentary, and reports about methodology such as classification systems, policies, and monitoring criteria. Four hundred and twenty-eight of the total articles were directly related to grazing impacts on riparian zones and fish habitat. Only 89 of these grazing impact articles were classified as experimental, where treatments were replicated and results were statistically valid. This analysis revealed several limitations of riparian grazing studies that included: (1) inadequate description of grazing management practices or treatments, (2) weak study designs, and (3) lack of pre-treatment data. More long-term, replicated treatment studies are needed in the future.

The literature was reviewed for cases of cutaneous pigmentation induced by rifampicin overdosage. 29 examples have been described, in which 2 general groups of individuals were observed. The first consisted of older individuals (average age 27.1 years) who attempted suicide. A prior history of suicide attempts, depression and substance abuse was a predominant factor in these patients. The second group included generally younger patients (average age 2.9 years) in whom misformulation of rifampicin preparations for treatment of Haemophilus influenzae Type B resulted in bright reddish-orange discoloration to the skin. The time to clinical appearance of skin discoloration was approximately 2.2 hours after administration. Periorbital or facial oedema occurred in 72.4% of the patients, pruritus in 62.1% and either nausea, vomiting or diffuse abdominal tenderness in 51.7%. Limited laboratory data are available but these indicate that all patients had elevated levels of total bilirubin. Histological examination in selected individuals revealed rifampicin crystal deposits in the nasopharynx, gastrointestinal tract and lining of the aorta. In adults, it appears that a dose of at least 14 g of rifampicin is necessary before cardiovascular-pulmonary arrest occurs. Other than general supportive measures, very few methods are described in the literature for the treatment of acute intoxications with this drug. A differential diagnosis of other causes of reddish-orange pigmentation is discussed, together with clinical information to differentiate these cases from toxic rifampicin ingestion.

A modification of the spectrofluorimetric method of Lowe et al 1 for the measurement of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity in rat brain is described. This method involves the indirect determination of GAD activity by measurement of the formation of gamma-amino-butyric acid (GABA). The minimum activity of GAD observable was 0.45 μg GABA/hour/mg protein and the limit of detection was 0.20 × 10−6 M GABA. This method was developed for measurement of GAD activity of gabaergic terminals in globus pallidus, endopeduncular nucleus, substantia nigra, and ventromedial thalamus in rat brain.

A quantitative high pressure liquid chromato-graphic (HPLC) assay has been developed for the determination of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity in subregions of rat brain. GAD activity was determined indirectly by measurement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Fluorimetric detection was made possible by derivatization with ortho-phthalaldehyde and the limit of detection was 11 ng GABA.

A quantitative high pressure liquid chromatographic (HPLC) assay has been developed for the determination of isoniazid (INH) and acetylisoniazid (ACINH) in human plasma. Plasma samples were taken from a patient after oral administration of INH (with proven tuberculosis infection). A C18 reversed phase radial compression column was used to separate INH and ACINH from other plasma components. The analysis takes 10 minutes per sample and the lower limit of detection for each compound is 0.10 ug/ml plasma.

The literature has been reviewed for contact dermatitis occurring to antituberculosis agents. Of the 12 known drugs. 6 (isoniazid, rilfampicin. Ethamnbutol, para-aminosalicylic acid. streptomycin and kanamycin) have been documented by punch test to cause this type of dermatitis in certain individuals. Cross sensitization has been observed to contribute significantly to the allergic reactions noted from isoniazid, streptomycin, and kanamycin. Hyposensitization has also been discussed in this review.

An analytical method has been developed for the determination of N-acetylcysteine in human serum following acetaminophen overdosage in humans. Serum samples were treated with dithiothreitol and the protein-freed product was derivatized with 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. N-Acetylhomocysteine thiolactone was used as an internal standard. Following diethyl ether extraction, the components were separated on a reversed-phase column with retention times of 7.4 and 9.9 min for N-acetylcysteine and internal standard, respectively. Ultraviolet detection at 365 nm was employed and little interference was noted from other serum components. The method has been applied to quantitation of N-acetylcysteine given as treatment for acetaminophen intoxication.

The neurological manifestations and toxicities of 12 antituberculosis drugs [isoniazid, rifampicin (rifampin), ethambutol, p-aminosalicylic acid, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, kanamycin, ethionamide, cycloserine, capreomycin, viomycin and thiacetazone] are reviewed. Their effects upon the central nervous system, cranial nerves, peripheral nerves and the neuromuscular junction are examined, and drug interactions of neurological concern are briefly discussed. Isoniazid is well known to increase the concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid in neural tissues. Although conflicting data have been published, isoniazid may play a limited future role in reducing the degree of adventitious movements noted in certain neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, spasmodic torticollis, and other segmental dystonic syndromes. With rifampicin neurological complications have been observed infrequently. Rifampicin penetrates into the CSF and has been shown to have useful activity against various micro-organisms in the CSF, including certain viruses; however, contrary to earlier suggestions, it appears to have no role in the treatment of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. A number of studies have indicated that isoniazid is associated with a large number of accidental and intentional poisonings. The highest incidence has been observed with Southwestern American Indians in which this agent was involved in 7% of all suicide attempts and 19% of the suicide deaths. Degeneration of the optic chiasma and nerve is a well-known adverse effect of ethambutol; toxicity is manifested by impairment of visual acuity, marked loss of colour discrimination, constricted visual fields, and central and peripheral scotoma. Ototoxicity is a well known problem caused by streptomycin, kanamycin, capreomycin and viomycin. The use of streptomycin in pregnant mothers is associated with congenital deafness in newborns in certain cases. The aminoglycoside antibiotics are also associated with flaccid paralysis following neuromuscular blockade. Adverse reactions to cycloserine are mainly dose-related with neurological and psychiatric syndromes noted in up to 50% of patients. Recent data indicate that isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, kanamycin, ethionamide, and cycloserine appear in measurable quantities in the cerebrospinal fluid. Five of these compounds (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, kanamycin, cycloserine) pass to some degree through non-inflamed meninges. Other than discontinuation of the therapeutic regimen and general supportive measures, very few methods are described in the literature for treatment of acute intoxications with antituberculosis drugs.

An experimental determination of heats of atomization of some ortho -substituted benzoic acids has been performed by combustion and differential scanning calorimetry. Resonance energy was calculated by the difference between the heat of atomization in the gas phase and the sum of the bond energies of a fixed bond structure for a resonating molecule. As the van der Waals radii of the ortho -substituent increased a decrease in resonance energy was observed.

A quantitative gas chromatographic--mass spectrometric method has been developed for the determination of glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) activity in subregions of rat brain. The five subregions analyzed, weighing approximately 2.51 mg each, were globus pallidus, entopeduncular nucleus, ventromedial thalamus, and substantia nigra medical and lateral. The activity of the GAD enzyme has been determined indirectly by measurement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) using gamma-[2,2-2H2] aminobutyric acid as the internal standard. Both compounds were quantitatively converted to trimethylsilyl-GABA and trimethylsilyl-[2H2]GABA in 90 min with hexamethylchlorosilane, trimethylchlorosilane, pyridine and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide silylating agents. Using selective ion monitoring and electron impact ionization at 70 eV, the limit of detection was 15 ng GABA per mg tissue. This method is compared with a fluorimetric procedure.

Blood dyscrasias comprise 10 % of the total number of drug induced adverse affects and account for approximately 40 % of fatal reactions related to drug administration 11, 21. Antituberculosis agents have been reported to produce a wide range of haematological side effects. In this paper the documented cases of haematologic abnormalities induced by 12 antituberculosis compounds (isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, para-aminosalicylic acid, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, kanamycin, ethionamide, capreomycin, viomycin, cycloserine and thiacetazone) will be reviewed, along with possible mechanisms of action and any known methods of treatment.

Two procedures using liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection are described for the determination of dopamine (DA) and its two acidic metabolites, homovanillic acid (HVA) and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), in subregions of rat striatum and nucleus accumbens. A strong cation-exchange column was used for DA analysis and a C18 reversed-phase column was used for the analysis of the metabolites. Effects of pH, temperature and percentage of methanol on the retention time of HVA and DOPAC were studied. Levels of these compounds in the subregions of rat stratum and nucleus accumbens are reported.

The quantitative aspects of the disposition in man of 12 antituberculosis drugs [isoniazid, rifampicin, (rifampin), ethambutol, para-aminosalicylic acid, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, kanamycin, ethionamide, cycloserine, capreomycin, viomycin and thiacetazone] are reviewed. Isoniazid appears to be the only agent for which plasma concentrations and clearance are related to hereditary differences in acetylator status and for which there is an appreciable 'first-pass' effect. Recent data cast doubt on the suggestion that isoniazid may be more hepatotoxic for rapid as opposed to slow acetylators. Continuous administration of rifampicin leads to induction of enzymes in the liver with a concomitant decrease in maximum plasma concentrations, the time required to achieve this level, elimination half-life, and area under the plasma concentration-time curve (AUC). Coadministration of para-aminosalicylic acid leads to increases in the serum concentrations and elimination half-life of isoniazid. With a few exceptions, the metabolites of the antituberculosis drugs are devoid of antimicrobial activity; the exceptions are 25-desacetylrifampicin which accounts for approximately 80% of the drug's antimicrobial activity in human bile, the acetylated and glycylated metabolites of para-aminosalicylic acid, and the sulphoxide metabolites of ethionamide. The effect of renal impairment is relatively unimportant for the excretion of isoniazid, rifampicin and para-aminosalicylic acid, but the elimination half-life of streptomycin increases to 100 hours when the blood urea nitrogen level is greater than 100mg/100ml, and ototoxicity is strikingly more frequent. In states of malnutrition, such as kwashiorkor, the protein binding of para-aminosalicylic acid decreases from 15% to essentially zero and in the case of ethionamide and streptomycin binding decreases by 6% and 16% respectively. Of the data concerning age-related effects, most notable are the prolonged elimination half-life of isoniazid in neonates (up to 19.8 hours), and the lower peak serum concentrations of rifampicin in children of one-third to one-tenth those of adults following a similar dose on a weight basis. For kanamycin, the maximum plasma concentration varies inversely with age but is not influenced by birthweight; however, the clearance is directly dependent upon birthweight and postnatal age. For the elderly, age is an insignificant factor for the elimination of isoniazid when compared with young adults of similar acetylator status, and the metabolism of rifampicin may be considered globally unaltered in this age group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

A comparison of liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (LCEC) and gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) has been made for analysis of homovanillic acid (HVA) in rat brain tissue. The LCEC procedure gave slightly higher average values of HVA in the samples measured; however, the HVA content determined by both methods related significantly. Rat brain meostriatum was used as representative samples for comparison of the two analytical procedures.

Revue des methodes d'analyse thermique gazeuse par spectrometrie de masse. Applications selectionnees

"We believe more in facts than in longing, " [Meiklejohn] protested. Without ideals, without some connective tis sue offered to students jointly by the teacher and the curriculum, and without an awareness that the divisive ness of today's age is more the product of technologi cal specialization than of pluralistic factionalism, the contemporary university is in danger of defaulting on its primary assignment-education for democracy.

The teratogenic effects of twelve antituberculosis drugs in animal models and man are reviewed. A number of congenital malformations have been associated with the use of these agents; however, for the most part, the birth defect rate is not above that expected for the normal population. Isoniazid and ethambutol are considered the safest for maternal use. Although rifampicin appears to be more problematic, if the disease is severe or extensive, it may be added, preferably after the first trimester. Streptomycin and kanamycin are associated with eighth cranial nerve damage and should be avoided if possible during cyesis. At least five of these compounds have documented evidence of transplacental passage. In consideration of the number of drugs that are available for treatment, routine therapeutic abortions in pregnant females with tuberculosis is not medically indicated.