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Objective: Despite access to effective therapies many asthma patients still do not have well-controlled disease. This is possibly related to underuse of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) and overuse of short-acting β2-agonists (SABA). Our aim was to investigate longitudinal trends and associated factors in asthma treatment., Methods: Two separate cohorts of adults with physician-diagnosed asthma were randomly selected from 14 hospitals and 56 primary health centers in Sweden in 2005 ( n  = 1182) and 2015 ( n  = 1225). Information about symptoms, maintenance treatment, and use of rescue medication was collected by questionnaires. Associations between treatment and sex, age, smoking, education, body mass index (BMI), physical activity, allergic asthma, and symptom control were analyzed using Pearson's chi 2 -test. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using logistic regression., Results: Maintenance treatment with ICS together with long-acting β2-agonists (LABA) and/or montelukast increased from 39.2% to 44.2% ( p  = 0.012). The use of ICS + LABA as-needed increased (11.1-18.9%, p  < 0.001), while SABA use decreased (46.4- 41.8%, p  = 0.023). Regular treatment with ICS did not change notably (54.2-57.2%, p  = 0.14). Older age, former smoking, and poor symptom control were related to treatment with ICS + LABA/montelukast. In 2015, 22.7% reported daily use of SABA. A higher step of maintenance treatment, older age, obesity, shorter education, current smoking, allergic asthma, low or very high physical activity, and a history of exacerbations were associated with daily SABA use., Conclusions: The use of ICS + LABA both for maintenance treatment and symptom relief has increased over time. Despite this, the problem of low use of ICS and high use of SABA remains.

We address controls on Co and Ni distribution, based on their solubility in hydrothermal fluids as functions of pH, ƒO2 and T, in two end-member types of sulphide deposits in Bergslagen, Sweden. Oxidized hydrothermal fluids, as have been suggested for the formation of the Zinkgruvan deposit, would efficiently transport Co and Ni in solution, even at 150 °C. Formation of Co and Ni sulphides and sulphosalts supersedes or overlaps the precipitation of other sulphides along a reduction or H2S-mixing path. This is consistent with the presence of Co and Ni sulphides and sulphosalts in vent-proximal Cu-Zn mineralization at Zinkgruvan. Reduced, acidic and hot (≥250 °C) hydrothermal fluids that have been invoked for the formation of deposits like Falun and Stollberg could also transport Co and Ni in solution. However, their solubility is strongly dependent on high T and low pH. Cooling and neutralization are here proposed as likely key triggers for the deposition of Co and Ni, yet, unlike in the Zinkgruvan scenario, saturation will occur within the pyrite stability field, whereby these metals may be sequestered as stoichiometric lattice substitutions in pyrite and other sulphides rather than forming minerals of their own. We conclude that at any T or realistic pH, hydrothermal systems involving oxidized brines have a greater ability to traverse and leach large rock volumes of Co and Ni. Consequently, areas hosting deposits that formed from such brines have a significant exploration potential for these metals, even in areas where Co-enriched source rocks are lacking or subordinate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-scale geophysical studies were conducted in the central Skellefte district (CSD) in order to delineate the geometry of the upper crust (down to maximum ~ 4.5 km depth) for prospecting volcanic massive sulphide (VMS) mineralization. These geophysical investigations include potential field, resistivity/induced polarization (IP), reflection seismic and magnetotelluric (MT) data which were collected between 2009 and 2010. The interpretations were divided in two scales: (i) shallow (~ 1.5 km) and (ii) deep (~ 4.5 km). Physical properties of the rocks, including density, magnetic susceptibility, resistivity and chargeability, were also used to improve interpretations. The study result delineates the geometry of the upper crust in the CSD and new models were suggested based on new and joint geophysical interpretation which can benefit VMS prospecting in the area. The result also indicates that a strongly conductive zone detected by resistivity/IP data may have been missed using other geophysical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Geoelectrical and induced polarization data from measurements along three profiles and from one 3D survey are acquired and processed in the central Skellefte District, northern Sweden. The data were collected during two field campaigns in 2009 and 2010 in order to delineate the structures related to volcanogenic massive sulphide deposits and to model lithological contacts down to a maximum depth of 1.5 km. The 2009 data were inverted previously, and their joint interpretation with potential field data indicated several anomalous zones. The 2010 data not only provide additional information from greater depths compared with the 2009 data but also cover a larger surface area. Several high-chargeability low-resistivity zones, interpreted as possible massive sulphide mineralization and associated hydrothermal alteration, are revealed. The 3D survey data provide a detailed high-resolution image of the top ∼450 m of the upper crust around the Maurliden East, North, and Central deposits. Several anomalies are interpreted as new potential prospects in the Maurliden area, which are mainly concentrated in the central conductive zone. In addition, the contact relationship between the major geological units, e.g., the contact between the Skellefte Group and the Jörn Intrusive Complex, is better understood with the help of 2010 deep-resistivity/chargeability data. The bottommost part of the Vargfors basin is imaged using the 2010 geoelectrical and induced polarization data down to ∼1-km depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the Kristineberg mine, northern Sweden, sulphidic mine tailings were remediated in an 8-year pilot-scale experiment using sewage sludge to evaluate its applicability as a sealing layer in a composite dry cover. Sediment, leachate water, and pore gas geochemistry were collected in the aim of determining if the sludge was an effective barrier material to mitigate acid rock drainage (ARD) formation. The sludge was an effective barrier to oxygen influx as it formed both a physical obstruction and functioned as an organic reactive barrier to prevent oxygen to the underlying tailings. Sulphide oxidation and consequential ARD formation did not occur. Sludge-borne trace elements accumulated in a reductive, alkaline environment in the underlying tailings, resulting in an effluent drainage geochemistry of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn below 10 μg/L, high alkalinity (810 mg/L) and low sulphate (38 mg/L). In contrast, the uncovered reference tailings received a 0.35-m deep oxidation front and typical ARD, with dissolved concentrations of Cd, Zn and sulphate, 20.8 μg/L, 16,100 μg/L and 1,390 mg/L, respectively. Organic matter degradation in the sludge may be a limiting factor to the function of the sealing layer over time as 85 % loss of the organic fraction occurred over the 8-year experimental period due to aerobic and anaerobic degradation. Though the cover may function in the short to medium term (100 years), it is unlikely to meet the demands of a long-term remedial solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We acquired a high-resolution 2D seismic profile to test the capability of the seismic method in imaging a sulfide ore body at Garpenberg, central Sweden. Delineation of the geologic structures, which surround and host the ore body, is another goal of the survey. Due to the 3D geology of the structures, a cross-dip correction performed to image out-of-the-plane reflections, resulting in a clear high amplitude anomaly at a time and location to that to be expected from near the top of the ore body. Furthermore, DMO processing and migration are applied to the data, providing images of four main reflection groups. The reflections have been interpreted as corresponding to geologic rock units in the area that partly interfere with the potential ore body signal. To further investigate the seismic response of the ore body, forward modeling by ray-tracing is applied using the ore body geometry as mapped by drilling. We use two ray-tracing approaches: standard 3D ray-tracing and an exploding reflector approach. Seven representative samples from the mine area are used to determine P-wave velocities. The measurements show a considerable contrast between the ore body and host rock. By comparing the modeled and observed data, we find that the high amplitude signal in the real seismic section most likely emanates from near the top of one concentrated ore which lies inside the larger mapped ore body that has been modeled as a resource. The base of the ore body is only observed on the synthetic data whereas a signal penetration analysis suggests that the seismic signal penetrated efficiently along the entire survey line. Presence of disseminated ore and lower fold toward the northern end of the profile could be combined reasons that make imaging the base of the ore body difficult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Wetlands are hot spots where arsenic is mobilised into discharging groundwater. [•] Arsenic in wetland plants is not serious a risk for grazing wild animals. [•] Iron precipitates in streams are efficient sinks for the released arsenic. [•] Elevated inorganic arsenic in the benthic fauna is not mirrored in fish. [•] Fish is not a human health risk in spite of high arsenic in stream sediments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Skellefte district in northern Sweden is one of the most important mining districts in Europe hosting approximately 80 volcanic massive sulfide (VMS) deposits. Due to its economical importance, geological and geophysical studies were carried out in order to create an image of the geometry of the upper crustal structure and integral geological elements and to evaluate their relationship to mineral deposits. Consequently, seismic reflection data along three sub-parallel profiles were acquired during 2009–2010 to map the spatial relationships between the geological structures down to a depth of ~4.5km. Although these seismic studies helped researchers understand the regional relationship between geologic units in the central Skellefte district (CSD), the seismic reflection data did not succeed entirely in mapping the lithological contacts in the area. In this study, the model derived from the seismic reflection data was examined by using 2.5D modeling of potential field data (down to a 5km depth) constrained by physical properties of the rocks and surface geology. Moreover, we modeled gravity and magnetic data along the non-reflective or poorly reflective parts of the seismic profiles to identify major lithological contacts and shear zones in the CSD, which could not be modeled on the basis of the seismic reflection data. Gravity and magnetic data helped reveal the spatial relationship between the Skellefte volcanic rocks, Vargfors group meta-sedimentary rocks and two meta­intrusive complexes. Results suggest a maximum depth extent of 2.1km for the tectonic contact at the southern border of the Jörn granitoid. Furthermore, this north-dipping Skellefte–Jörn contact coincides closely with magnetic lows and gravity highs, which implies that the Jörn intrusive rocks have a greater thickness than the underlying basalt. Further to the NW, gravity and magnetic data suggest a depth extent of 2km for the Gallejaur complex, which coincides with a set of gently dipping reflectors. In addition, this study supports previous concepts of fault geometries and fault patterns as a result of upper-crustal extension and subsequent inversion during crustal shortening. In the final model interpretations of the IP data were included, thus relating indications of mineralization to the geological structures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the structural evolution of the volcanogenic massive sulphides (VMS) in Kristineberg area, Sweden and constraints from structural analysis and three-dimensional (3-D) modelling. The study uses 3-D-modelling with constraints form magnetotelluric (MT) and structural mapping to provide geological synthesis of the geometrically complex of the area. Results show that the structure of the area might be attributed to South-southeast-North-northwest (SSE-NNW) transpression.

Abstract: The Kristineberg mining area in the western part of the Skellefte ore district, northern Sweden, contains the largest massive sulphide deposit in the district. In 2003, two parallel seismic lines, Profiles 1 and 5, each about 25km long and about 8km apart were acquired in the Kristineberg area. The initial processing results were successful in imaging the large-scale structures of the area down to 12km of the crust, but resulted in relatively poor seismic image near the mine. In this paper, we re-processed the seismic data along Profile 1 that crosses the mine. The main objective was to improve the seismic section near the mine for further correlation with new seismic data recently acquired in the area. The crooked-line acquisition geometry, very low fold coverage of less than 17, complex geology and sparse outcrops in the area made the data re-processing and interpretation challenging. Despite these challenges, significant improvement is observed in the seismic data, in terms of event continuity and resolution. Refraction static corrections allowed high frequencies to be retained, which improved the seismic section. The refraction static solution was manually checked and adjusted at every iteration to avoid unstable solutions. 3D visualization of the re-processed data with other seismic profiles recently acquired in the area allowed the seismic reflections to be correlated. The majority of the reflections are interpreted to originate from either fault zones or lithological contacts. A very shallow reflection correlates well with the location of the Kristineberg mineralized horizon. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The variation and anisotropy in hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation was investigated for two Swedish sulphide clays. A series of constant rate of strain oedometer tests was performed on samples trimmed in the vertical and horizontal direction. A methodology to evaluate the horizontal coefficients of consolidation c via the horizontal hydraulic conductivity k and the vertical compression modulus M is proposed. Laboratory evaluations of c are also compared with determinations of c from in situ piezometer measurements in vertically drained sulphide clay. Furthermore, the validity of the empirical correlation between hydraulic conductivity change index C and initial void ratio e, C = 0.5 e (Tavenas et al. in Can Geotech J 20(4):645-660, ), was investigated for the sulphide clays. The results from the investigation show large ranges in measured hydraulic conductivities and coefficients of consolidation. However, the results indicate that the correlation C = 0.5 e is valid. The anisotropy in hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation of the sulphide clays tested seems to be small. For design purposes, multiple tests for assessment of hydraulic conductivity and the coefficient of consolidation should be made, and a partial factor of safety, depending on the requisite level of safety and the spatial variability of the parameters, should be introduced. For design purposes in this type of clay, k = k and c = c are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Tailings containing pyrrhotite were deposited in an impoundment at a copper mine at Laver, Northern Sweden, which operated between 1936 and 1946. Since then the oxidation of sulphides has acidified recipient water courses and contaminated them with metals. Measurements from surface water sampled in 1993, 2001 and 2004–05 from a brook into which the tailing impoundment drains indicate that the amounts of sulphide-associated elements such as Cu, S and Zn released into the brook have decreased over time, while pH has increased. The mass transport of S in the brook during 1993 and 2001 corresponded well with the amount of S estimated to be released from the tailings by oxidation. Secondary precipitates such as covellite and gypsum, which can trap sulphur, were shown in earlier studies to be present in only low amounts. The annual release of elements from the tailings was estimated from the volume of tailings assumed to oxidise each year, which depends on movement of the oxidation front with time. The results indicate that the oxidation rate in the tailings has decreased over time, which may be due to the increased distance over which oxygen needs to diffuse to reach unoxidised sulphide grains, or their cores, in the tailings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The recently developed geochemical modelling code, SULFIDOX, has been applied to simulate weathering of a waste rock dump at the Aitik mine site, Sweden. SULFIDOX models the key chemical and physical processes in the dump temporally and spatially (in two dimensions). The following processes are represented: gas and heat transport; water infiltration; aqueous speciation; mineral dissolution/oxidation and precipitation. Field observations at the site suggest that sulphide oxidation rates within the dump are variable. Although the major part of the dump is oxidising slowly, there are pockets of more highly oxidising material, particularly toward the dump edges. Using SULFIDOX, several models of the dump were investigated: (i) a dump wholly comprised of slowly oxidising material (representing a case where water flow paths are such that no rapidly oxidising regions are accessed); (ii) a dump wholly comprised of the more rapidly oxidising material (representing the opposite (and probably unlikely) extreme, where water flows only through rapidly oxidising regions in the dump); and (iii) a dump comprising a mixture of both slowly and more rapidly oxidising material, that more closely represents the mix of material in the dump. All the models studied gave O2 depth profiles consistent with those observed in probe holes at the site, and confirmed that only a minimal amount of heat production would be expected in the dump due to the role of exothermic sulphide oxidation reactions. The models suggested that a medium-term steady-state, with respect to effluent chemistry, would be achieved after 3–4 years. Based on sulphide consumption rates during this steady-state period, the time periods required to consume all the sulphide in the dump range from a few hundred to many thousands of years. Using the mixed model, and based on a mixture containing 86% slowly and 14% rapidly oxidising material, the calculated effluent chemistry was in good agreement with the observed effluent chemistry. Improvements with respect to the K concentrations were possible by including precipitation of a K-bearing secondary mineral such a K-jarosite in the model. Results from the more rapidly oxidising model suggested that gypsum precipitation might be expected in those regions of the dump containing this material. In summary, the SULFIDOX modelling code has been used successfully to reproduce observed data for the Aitik waste-rock dump. Using SULFIDOX, valuable insight was gained in relation to the temporal and spatial evolution of the dump. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The Björkdal gold deposit is situated in the eastern part of the Paleoproterozoic Skellefte district in northern Sweden. The Skellefte district constitutes a 1.89 to 1.88 Ga volcanic arc with numerous volcanic massive sulfide deposits and lode gold deposits of which the Björkdal deposit is the largest, at ca. 20 Mt with 2.5 g/t Au. The gold at Björkdal is associated with centimeter- to meter-wide, subvertical quartz veins at the northwestern contact between a quartz-monzodioritic to tonalitic intrusion and the surrounding supracrustal rocks. The main quartz veins strike north-northeast, and a minor set of veins strike east-northeast. The quartz veins terminate against a major thrust duplex at the contact between the intrusion and the structurally overlying supracrustal rocks. The mylonitic thrust zone has a 20° to 40° dip toward north and trends approximately eastwest. A few kinematic observations indicate reverse to obliquely reverse slip on the thrust. Deformed quartz veins exist in lithons between thrusts within the duplex. In the mine, the quartz veins in the footwall to the thrust are spatially and temporally associated with moderately to steeply west dipping reverse shear zones with a northeast strike. It is suggested here that the quartz veins and the steep reverse shear zones are related to the thrust duplex and formed more or less simultaneously. Fluid inclusion and isotopic results from previous studies indicate that juvenile magmatic fluids were responsible for the precipitation of quartz and sulfides at moderate temperatures and pressures. Furthermore, titanites from the quartz veins give ages of ca. 1.78 to 1.79 Ga, whereas the host pluton is dated at ca. 1.90 Ga, indicating a time gap of over 100 m.y. between the emplacement of the host rock and titanite growth in quartz veins. The regional deformation and metamorphism are poorly constrained in the area to some time between 1.87 and 1.80... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on sulfide mineral oxidation rates under oxic conditions in freshly processed pyrite-rich tailings from the ore concentrator in Boliden, northern Sweden. Freshly processed tailings are chemically treated in the plant to kill bacteria and to obtain increased metal yields, resulting in a high pH level of 10–12 in the process water. Different oxidation experiments (abiotic oxidation in untreated tailings, acid abiotic oxidation and acid microbial oxidation), containing the Boliden tailings, were performed at room temperature with dissolved oxygen (0.21 atm O2) for 3 months. The different pyrite oxidation rates given from the study were 2.4×10−10 mol m−2 s−1 for the microbial, 5.9×10−11 mol m−2 s−1 for the acidic abiotic and 3.6×10−11 mol m−2 s−1 for the untreated experiments. Because of the potential precipitation of gypsum in the batch solutions, these oxidation rates are considered minimum values. The release rates for copper and zinc from chalcopyrite and sphalerite in the acid experiments were also investigated. These rates were normalized to the metal concentration in the tailings, and then compared to the release rate for iron from pyrite. These normalized results indicated that metal release decreased in the order Cu>Zn>Fe, demonstrating that pyrite is more resistant to oxidation than sphalerite and chalcopyrite. Pyrite was also more resistant to acidic dissolution than to microbial dissolution, while a significant fraction of sphalerite and chalcopyrite dissolved in the acid abiotic solutions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

More knowledge of the geochemical behavior of tungsten (W) and associated contamination risks is needed. Therefore, weathering of scheelite (CaWO 4 ) and secondary sequestration and transport of W to groundwater in historical skarn tailings and surface water downstream of the tailings were studied. The tailings contained 920 mg/kg W, primarily in scheelite. Mineralogical and geochemical analyses were combined to elucidate the geochemical behavior of W in the tailings, and water samples were taken monthly during 2018 to monitor its mobility. In the tailings, a large peak of W was found at 1.5 m depth. There, 30 wt%. of W was present in easily reducible phases, indicating former scheelite weathering. Currently, W is being released from scheelite to water-soluble phases at 2.5 m depth. The release of WO 4 2- is hypothetically attributed to anion exchange with CO 3 2- released from calcite neutralizing acid produced from pyrrhotite oxidation in the upper tailings and transported downwards to pH conditions > 7. Higher concentrations of dissolved W were found in the groundwater and particulate W in downstream surface water than in reference water, but they were lower than current contamination thresholds. Tungsten showed correlations with hydrous ferric oxides (HFO) in both the tailings and surface water.

Population growth, together with overall improvement of life standards, greater level of environmental awareness and energy transition towards green technologies, result in globally increasing demand for mineral resources on a yearly basis. Considering that most of the shallow large-scale deposits have likely already been explored and mined out (or are being mined), there is a great interest to explore for deeper-seated deposits. For this purpose, the SIT4ME project, through EIT Raw Material Program was established, aiming to promote, improve and further establish seismic methods for mineral exploration in hard rock environments. In November 2018, a multi-method seismic dataset was acquired in the Zinkgruvan mining area in the Bergslagen mineral province of Sweden. Both active (32t seismic vibrator truck as source) and passive data were acquired using a combination of sparse 3D grid and dense 2D profiles in an area of approximately 6 km2 enabling reasonable 3D subsurface illumination. For the data acquisition, a total of 1300 receivers were used across the study area, distributed along ten 2D-crooked-seismic lines and in a 3D mesh. This provided us with a comprehensive dataset, which would be used for a multitude of processing and imaging approaches. The objectives are to image any deep (> 500 m depth) massive sulphide mineralization and structures hosting them within this complex three-dimensionally deformed hard rock setting. Here, we present the acquisition setup, preliminary reflection seismic processing results obtained from active part of the dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nordic fuel cell developer PowerCell Sweden has received an order for the PowerCell S2 fuel cell stack from a Chinese company in the automotive industry. The S2 will be used as a hydrogen-based range-extender (REX) for electrified passenger cars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The leukotriene pathway has been associated with an increased cardiovascular risk. However, the effects of the antileukotriene treatment used in asthmatic patients on cardiovascular outcomes have remained largely unexplored., Objective: We sought to examine a potential protective role of the leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast on future risk of incident and recurrent myocardial infarction and ischemic stroke., Methods: A nationwide population-based cohort of approximately 7 million persons integrating data from the Prescribed Drug, Patient, Cause of Death, Income, Educational, and Emigration Registers was followed from July 1, 2005, to December 31, 2008. Analyses were performed in the whole population after exclusion of subjects with a prior cardiovascular diagnosis (incident events; sample size, n = 6,910,923 for myocardial infarction and n = 6,932,578 for stroke) and in subjects with a prior diagnosis (recurrent events; n = 153,937 and n = 132,291 for stroke and myocardial infarction, respectively)., Results: Cox proportional hazard ratios (HRs) did not reveal an association of montelukast use with incident events. In contrast to these findings, montelukast use was associated with a lower risk for recurrent stroke (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.38-0.99) accounting for age, sex, education level, and yearly income. Adjusting the latter finding also for respiratory and cardiovascular medications and diagnoses revealed similar point estimates (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.39-1.0). Post hoc analyses revealed a significant association of montelukast use with a lower risk for recurrent myocardial infarction in male subjects (HR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.43-0.99)., Conclusion: These data provide a first indication for a potential role of the antiasthma drug montelukast for secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease., (Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: A signal has been raised concerning montelukast and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) in children. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate psychiatric ADRs during treatment with montelukast in children., Methods: We analyzed all reports of psychiatric disorders during treatment with montelukast in children (<18 years) in the Swedish ADR database SWEDIS (1998-2007). The Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN) method was used to screen for disproportional reporting rates of these reactions. An information component (IC) with a positive 95% lower confidence limit indicates a statistically significant disproportionality between the expected and the reported rate for a drug and an ADR., Results: A total of 48 reports of psychiatric disorders in children during treatment with montelukast were found in SWEDIS. Reports appeared every year after registration. Psychiatric disorders reported more than once included nightmares (n = 15), unspecified anxiety (n = 11), aggressiveness (n = 11), sleep disorders (n = 10), insomnia (n = 3), irritability (n = 3), hallucination (n = 3), hyperactivity (n = 3), and personality disorder (n = 2). In 23 reports (48%), the child experiencing psychiatric ADRs was < or = 3 years old. Time from exposure to ADR was indicated in 35 reports. In 28 of these (80%), the time from exposure to ADR was less than 1 week. A statistical signal for psychiatric disorders appeared in the fourth quarter of 1998 (three reports, IC-value: 2.34, 95% lower confidence limit: 0.62)., Conclusions: Psychiatric ADRs can occur during montelukast treatment in children, indicating that attention to this is essential. Further studies are needed to establish the magnitude of the problem.

Background: Due to few paediatric drug safety studies, knowledge on risks of drug treatment in children is limited. The knowledge needs to be increased to make proper risk-benefit analyses possible when treating paediatric patients with drugs. The aim of the present study was to investigate drug groups commonly used in children concerning type and frequency of individual case safety reports in children., Methods: Number and type of individual case safety reports in the 30 groups of drugs (5th level ATC-code) most sold (number of defined daily doses) in outpatient treatment to children (<15 years old) during 2005 were obtained. Descriptive analyses of the adverse drug reactions reported in children were performed., Results: The number of individual case safety reports per million defined daily doses in children varied in the groups of drug between 0 and 24. The largest number was found in the drug group R03DC, the leukotriene receptor antagonist montelukast; the majority of the children being <5 years old and experiencing psychiatric adverse drug reactions., Conclusion: The number of individual case safety reports per million defined daily doses varies in different groups of drugs. A possible signal for montelukast and psychiatric adverse drug reactions was found, which should be further explored.

Weathering of mine tailings in Adak results in high As concentrations in surface and ground water, sediments, and soil. In spite of the oxic conditions, As-rich surface and ground water samples indicate As(III) species predominantly (up to 83%). Several microorganisms were isolated from the enrichment cultures that were involved in As cycling. Amongst them was Arsenicicoccus bolidensis - a novel gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, coccus-shaped actinomycete, which actively reduced As(V) to As(III) in aqueous media. A. bolidensis reduced 0.06-0.20 mM day(-1) As(V). As(V) reduction displays a direct correlation between the initial As(V) concentration, growth rate, and biomass yield.