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Microbial Fuel Cells (MFCs) are electrochemical devices that exploit microbes for wastewater treatment with simultaneous power production. Concerning reactor design, electrode materials and operation modes, great achievements have been reported with an emphasis on developing anode materials to improve overall MFC performance. Anode materials (carbon cloth, carbon veil, carbon sponges) and their properties such as biocompatibility, electrical conductivity, surface area and efficient transport of waste play a very important role in power generation in MFCs. Despite their low cost, they present structural-based disadvantages eg. Fragility, and low conductivity issues. Additive manufacturing of Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) due to its tailoring properties, has employed various polymer-based materials such as Polylactic Acid (PLA) and Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) for manufacturing applications. In addition, carbon-based composites and hybrid materials eg. electrically conductive PLA and ABS have already been fabricated and are commercially available to exploit good electrical conductivity and structural rigidness. In this research, FDM was used to fabricate custom-sized electrodes made of a laboratory-produced electrically conductive ABS filament. A parametric study of conductivity and biocompatibility properties of these electrodes in correlation to 3D printer parameters was investigated and reported. Furthermore, treatment with a combination of thermal, mechanical, and chemical procedures was performed to improve the crucial parameters of anodes for MFCs.

Endometrial small cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an extremely rare and aggressive tumor with poor prognosis. It is characterized by early regional and systemic spread leading to rapid development of lymph nodes, pelvic and extrapelvic metastasis and compromising the outcome. In this paper, we reported three cases of ESCC confirmed by pathological and immunohistochemistry studies. In one case, ESCC was associated with endometrioid carcinoma and carcinosarcoma, while the other two cases were pure ESCC. Two cases were diagnosed at early stage IA of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) cancer staging system. They were treated by surgery followed by pelvic external radiation and brachytherapy with favorable outcome (no recurrence was confirmed and a survival was 1 and 5years, respectively). The third case was diagnosed with visceral metastasis and was treated with 6 cycles of cisplatin plus etoposide. She died 8months after diagnosis. Due to its rarity, there is no standard guideline for the management of ESCC. Its treatment is extrapolated from that of both, the conventional endometrial carcinoma and the small cell carcinoma of the lungs, which share similarities with ESCC. Thus, multimodal therapeutic including surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy, seems to be the best therapeutic approach. Randomized clinical trials with multiples cases of ESCC are encouraged to clearly define the optimal therapeutic approach to this rare tumor.

The aging of the population makes it necessary to define more precisely the needs of elderly patients in terms of anticancer therapy as the number of older cancer patients is expected to increase. There is evidence that many elderly cancer patients can benefit from relatively aggressive treatments, provided major side effects can be prevented or treated. In patients with hematological malignancies, infection is the most common and threatening complication resulting from chemotherapy administration. Discussion of the prevention of infection in the setting described above is the aim of this paper.

Chavez: AstraZeneca: Speakers Bureau; Morphosys: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Merck: Research Funding; Bayer: Consultancy; BeiGene: Speakers Bureau; Karyopharm: Consultancy; Genentech: Speakers Bureau; AbbVie: Consultancy; Epizyme: Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Consultancy; Celgene: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Verastem: Consultancy; Pfizer: Consultancy. Locke:Kite, a Gilead Company: Consultancy, Research Funding; Calibr: Consultancy; Celgene/Bristol-Myers Squibb: Consultancy; Novartis: Consultancy; GammaDelta Therapeutics: Consultancy; Cellular Biomedicine Group: Other: Consultancy with grant options; Allogene: Consultancy; Wugen: Consultancy. Simon:Novartis: Current Employment. Lewandowski:Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research: Current Employment. Awasthi:Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research: Current Employment. Engels:Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research: Current Employment. Georgala:Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation: Current Employment. Bondanza:Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research: Current Employment. Schuster:AlloGene, AstraZeneca, BeiGene, Genentech, Inc./ F. Hoffmann-La Roche, Juno/Celgene, Loxo Oncology, Nordic Nanovector, Novartis, Tessa Therapeutics: Consultancy, Honoraria; Novartis, Genentech, Inc./ F. Hoffmann-La Roche: Research Funding.

In a recent study, Candidaspecies in clinical blood samples were detected using a real-time PCR-based method (Maaroufi et al, J Clin Microbiol 2003, 41:3293–3298). For the present study, we evaluated the efficiency of this method as an adjunct to the BACTEC blood culture system to early detection of positivity and negativity of simulated low candidemias. We first established an in vitrocorrelation between the inoculum of the most frequently encountered Candidaspecies and the time to positivity of these microorganisms. Then, aliquots from blood culture bottles infected with a final average candidal inoculum of 3.18 colony-forming units (CFU)/culture bottle (range, 1 to 6 CFU) were collected at increasing incubation times, and DNA was extracted and submitted to the TaqMan-based PCR assay. To optimize this assay, we evaluated the effect of adding 0.5% bovine serum albumin (BSA) to DNA extracts and found that it decreased the effects of inhibitors. Using specific probes for the tested Candidaspecies, the PCR assay was positive on blood culture aliquots collected from the BACTEC system after a minimum culture turnaround time (TAT) of 3.11 ± 1.24 hours. Addition of BSA to PCR reaction mixtures improves the TAT (1.84 ± 0.41 hours). Hence, the combination of DNA “amplification” in the culture bottles by normal growth with an additional DNA amplification by PCR might be a reliable tool facilitating the early diagnosis of low candidemias.

The mycelial fatty acid profiles of several Pleurotus strains and their application in intrageneric differentiation were investigated. In the lipids produced by strains of Pleurotus abalonus, P. calyptratus, P. columbinus, P. cornucopiae, P. cystidiosus, P. ostreatus, P. pulmonarius, P. sajor-caju and P. sapidus, the predominant fatty acid was linoleic (33–68% total lipids), while in P. eryngii strains the major fatty acid was oleic (43–46%). In all strains studied, oleic and palmitic acids were present in significant concentrations (>12%), whereas stearic acid was found in lower ones. By using the ratios C18∶1/C18∶0, C18∶2/C18∶1 and ΣC18/C16∶0 as variables, Pleurotus strains were clustered into six groups. Group I (P. ostreatus); group II, divided in three sub-groups (IIa: P. columbinus, IIb: P. eryngii, IIc: P. cornucopiae), group III, divided in two sub-groups (IIIa: P. sajor-caju, IIIb: P. pulmonarius), group IV (P. sapidus), group V (P. abalonus) and group VI divided in two sub-groups (VIa: P. cystidiosus and VIb: P. calyptratus). It is concluded that the mycelial fatty acid composition of Pleurotus can be used in the intrageneric taxonomy of the genus.

The most common reaction to fragrances is contact dermatitis, a delayed hypersensitivity reaction; however, other reactions include immediate contact reactions (contact urticaria) and photo-allergic reactions. Fragrance mix (FM) and balsam of Peru (BP) are used to screen for fragrance allergy.

AbstractBackground:Among the reaction and effects of isotretinoin, mucocutaneous reactions, xerosis and erythema of the skin as well as elevation of liver enzymes and lipids except high density lipoprotein have been reported. Objective:Since biotinidase is mainly produced in the liver and partial biotinidase deficiency causes dermatological manifestations, seborrheic dermatitis, alopecia etc., isotretinoin side effects in relation to biotinidase activity were studied. Methods:Forty-two (n = 42) patients with severe cystic acne had liver function tests, lipid estimations, serum biotin as well as biotinidase activity evaluations before (value 1) and on the 30th day (value 2) of treatment with isotretinoin monotherapy (Roaccutane 0.5 mg/kg/24 h). The same laboratory tests were evaluated in 50 controls only once. Moreover, the effect of isotretinoin on a known plasma biotinidase activity was evaluated after incubation in vitro with various concentrations of the drug. Results:A statistically significant elevation of liver enzymes and lipids, except high density lipoprotein, was observed at the end of this study. On the contrary, biotinidase activity was found to be significantly decreased as compared to the initial values (value 1 = 4.70 ± 0.89 nmol/min/l, value 2 = 2.50 ± 0.8 nmol/min/l, p < 0.001) and to controls (5.2 ± 0.9 nmol/min/l vs. value 2 = 2.50 ± 0.8 nmol/min/l, p < 0.001). Additionally, biotin levels showed no significant alterations and the in vitro incubation of the enzyme with various concentrations of the drug exhibited no effect on its activity. Conclusion:It is suggested that isotretinoin isomers-metabolites act in the liver, resulting in low biotinidase activity.

A rare case of development of plaque‐type blue nevus adjacent to congenital nevi in a 44‐year‐old woman is presented.

Four cheesemakings of Graviera Kritis cheese (cheeses A-D) were made from a mixture of ewe's and goat's milk. Three of these were made with mixed cultures of thermophilic + propionic or mesophilic + thermophilic + propionic starters, while the fourth one was made traditionally without starter cultures. The effect of increasing the temperature of ripening was also determined. The pH 4.4-soluble nitrogen (SN) and trichloroacetic acid (TCA-SN) fractions increased mainly during the warm room ripening. The use of starters caused no significant differences in the ratios of nitrogen fractions of the four mature cheeses (age > 90 d), whatever the ripening temperature. Nitrogen fractions were significantly correlated with cheese age. At 180 d of ripening, the percentage of pH 4.4-SN in total nitrogen (TN) was 20.7-22.8 % and that of TCA-SN in TN was 19.1-19.3 %. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic (PAGE) results showed that chymosin and plasmin action was intense during the maturation of the cheeses. The proportion of hydrophilic peptides was higher in the water soluble nitrogen (WSN) fraction of the cheeses made with starter cultures at both ripening temperatures. Free amino acids (FAA) were not significantly different in the four types of cheeses, reaching 208-246 mmol.kg -1after 180 d of ripening. The changes in total FAA and in the most abundant FAA during the ripening were significantly correlated with cheese age (r > 0.940). The ripening at higher temperature increased the main FAA and the total FAA content in all types of cheeses, in particular in the cheese made without starter cultures. ? Inra / Elsevier, Paris.Quatre fabrications de fromages Graviera Kritis ont ?t? r?alis?es ? partir d'un m?lange de lait de brebis et de ch?vre. Trois d'entre elles ont ?t? ensemenc?es en levains mixtes, lactiques thermophiles + propioniques ou lactiques m?sophiles + thermophiles + propioniques et la derni?re a ?t? r?alis?e traditionnellement, sans levains. Les fractions azot?es solubles ? pH 4,4 (pH 4,4-SN) et dans l'acide trichloroac?tique 12 (TCA-SN) augmentaient surtout pendant l'affinage en cave chaude. L'utilisation de levains ne provoquait pas de diff?rences significatives des fractions azot?es des quatres fromages affin?s (?ge > 90 j), quelle que soit la temp?rature d'affinage. Les fractions azot?es ?taient significativement corr?l?es ? l'?ge des fromages. Les fractions pH 4,4-SN et TCA-SN repr?sentaient respectivement 20,7-22,8 % et 19,1-19,3 % de l'azote total, apr?s 180 j d'affinage. Les r?sultats des ?lectrophor?ses ont montr? l'activit? de la chymosine et de la plasmine pendant l'affinage des fromages. La proportion de peptides hydrophiles ?tait plus ?lev?e pour les fromages ensemenc?s en levains aux deux temp?ratures d'affinage. Les teneurs en acides amin?s libres (AAL) totaux des quatre fromages ne diff?raient pas significativement et variaient entre 208 et 246 mmol.kg-1apr?s 180 j d'affinage. L'?volution des principaux AAL et des AAL totaux ?tait significativement corr?l?e ? l'?ge des fromages (r > 0,940). L'augmentation de la temp?rature provoquait une augmentation des AAL totaux et principaux de tous les fromages et de mani?re plus prononc?e pour les fromages fabriqu?s sans levains. ? Inra / Elsevier, Paris.

Two new species of Bryozoa (Acoscinopleura adenticulata and Escharifora bastadi) from the Upper Campanian calcarenite of the Malen Quarry in the Båstad area are described.

Plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotrophic hormone, Cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, Δ4-androstenedione and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate were determined in 10 regularly menstruating hirsute women 0, 15, 30, 60, 90 and 120 min after intravenous injection of 100 μg corticotrophin releasing factor. The baseline concentrations of adrenocorticotrophic hormone, Cortisol, progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate were within the normal range, whereas the mean Δ4-androstenedione and testosterone concentrations were mildly elevated. The administration of corticotrophin releasing factor induced a rapid and significant increase in plasma concentrations of adrenocorticotrophic hormone, Cortisol, 17-hydroxyprogesterone and Δ4-androstenedione after 60 min, whereas dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate and testosterone concentrations were not significantly elevated. These findings suggest that the corticotrophin releasing factor test can readily be used as an out-patient procedure to exclude adrenal hirsutism.

Immunization with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) is effective and safe with an estimated incidence of adverse reactions, either local or systemic, of less than 0.1%. Cutaneous side effects are rare and include lichen planus (LP) and lichenoid reactions. We report the case of a 21-year-old female, in whom a persistent, papulonodular lesion developed at the site of the injection, 6 weeks after the second dose of the HBV. Histological examination revealed lichenoid and pseudolymphomatous features. In addition, sensitization to thiomersal, a vaccine constituent, was documented by patch testing. The association of LP with chronic liver disease is well established. Furthermore, less than 20 cases of lichen or lichenoid reactions, following HBV vaccination, have been reported. Although several arguments have been presented, it is still debated whether there is a causal association or the occurrence of LP following HBV vaccination is a simple coincidence. It has been speculated that a T-cell-mediated, graft-versus-host-like reaction, triggered by a sensitizing protein, is directed against keratinocytes expressing an epitope of hepatitis B surface antigen or a similar epitope. Our case may represent a localized lichenoid reaction to HBV vaccination, a local reactive hyperplasia or a persisting delayed hypersensitivity reaction to a vaccine constituent. This is the first case of a local lichenoid reaction at the injection site of the HBV vaccine, providing further documentation for a causal association linking the HBV vaccine with LP.

AbstractCopyright © 2003 S. Karger AG, Basel

Salmonella senftenberg strain 775W (N.C.T.C. 9959) is considerably more heat resistant than other salmonellae1–3. This strain was originally reported in 1946 in the United States from pasteurized liquid egg1and has been used in a number of subsequent thermal resistance studies4–6. In an investigation into the effect of heat on Salmonella in food materials, we have measured the heat resistances of a range of Salmonella strains isolated from various sources. The strains which we examined included thirty-six senftenberg strains, thirty-two of which were supplied by Dr. Joan Taylor, Salmonella Reference Laboratory, Colindale, London. Twenty of these cultures had been isolated from human sources.

THE lytic enzyme lysozyme has been shown to become specifically absorbed on to its mucopeptide substrate in bacterial cell walls1. We have attempted to make use of this specific absorption by labelling lysozyme with a fluorescent dye. By this means we have been able to detect lysozyme-sensitive mucopeptide in bacterial cells with the fluorescence microscope. Such tracing of proteins by means of labelling with fluorescent dyes has been a successful technique in recent years, particularly in examining antibody-antigen reactions2, and has been used to follow the fate of labelled lipase added to growing tissue cultures3. The successful use of fluorochrome-labelled lysozyme in this fashion seemed possible because, although low concentrations of the enzyme lyse sensitive cells, high concentrations do not, and may even raise the optical density of suspensions of bacteria4,5. This auto-inhibition of lysozyme action at high enzyme concentrations probably occurs because the enzyme molecules sterically hinder their own action.

IMMUNOFLUORESCENCE methods for detecting Salmonellaein meat1and egg products2have been described recently. In both investigations the indirect immunofluorescence technique3was used, involving treatment with rabbit polyvalent Salmonellaagglutinating antisera, followed by staining with fluorescein conjugated goat anti-rabbit antiserum. This technique takes about two or three times as long as the direct technique using conjugated rabbit antisera originally described by Coons et al.4.

THE detection of Clostridium botulinum usually involves culturing the suspect sample, and then testing the culture for the presence of botulinum toxin. The toxin is identified by mouse protection tests using specific botulinum antitoxins1, a procedure complicated by the known existence of six different types of Cl. botulinum2, each with its specific toxin. These culture and mouse inoculation procedures require much time and special animal facilities, and greatly hinder experimental work with Cl. botulinum.