Biological treatment

Ann Chim, 2001 Sep-Oct, 91(9-10), 587 - 94
Treatment options for tannery wastewater . I: Alkalinization with or without post-ozonation; Di Iaconi C et al.; This is the first of two papers each dealing with a specific technological option for replacing the Fenton's reagent with simpler processes for treating industrial wastewater . In particular, the paper reports the results of an investigation aimed to check, at lab scale, the effectiveness of a chemical process (i.e., alkalinisation with or without post-ozonation) for treating tannery wastewater whose residual COD, measured after conventional biological treatment, result still higher than the Italian COD Maximum Allowable Concentration (MAC) value (i.e., 160 mgO2/L) . The results have demonstrated that when the value of residual COD lies in the range 200 divided by 250 mgO2/L, a simple alkalinisation with NaOH, up to pH 12.5, allows to reach the MAC value with an alkali consumption equivalent to the acid consumption required by the Fenton treatment and with a chemical sludge production significantly lower, i.e . approximately 0.7 kg(dry)/m3 instead of approximately 1.5 kg(dry)/m3 . Conversely, when the value of the residual COD lies in a higher range (i.e . 300 divided by 350 mgO2/L), in order to reach the COD MAC value, alkalinisation (from pH 8 to pH 12.5) must be followed by an ozonation post-treatment . From the chemical stand point, the paper clearly demonstrates that analyzing only simple "gross parameters" (i.e., TSS, TOC, COD, BOD5 and EC20) it is possible to get useful information about the chemical properties of the organic pollutants occurring in tannery wastewater.

Biomed Pharmacother, 2001 Nov, 55(9-10), 510 - 4
Minimally invasive surgery in breast cancer treatment; Singletary SE; As genetic and biological treatment modalities are developed that can be custom-designed for individual patients, the possibility that breast cancer can be managed as a chronic long-term disease becomes more real, and the requirement for minimally invasive surgical intervention used as part of a multidisciplinary treatment approach becomes more pressing . Rather than fearing that they will be replaced, surgeons should enthusiastically move into this dynamic phase in the development of new surgical techniques for the treatment of breast cancer . This article will discuss such techniques in three evolving areas: 1) management of the axilla after neoadjuvant chemotherapy; 2) sentinel node dissection; and 3) radiofrequency ablation of primary tumors of the breast.

Environ Technol, 2001 Oct, 22(10), 1125 - 35
Biological treatment of oil field wastewater in a sequencing batch reactor; Freire DD et al.; This work reports the results of experiments carried out in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) operated under 24 hour cycles, treating an effluent containing a mixture of oil field wastewater and sewage, in different percentages . The removal of phenols, ammonium and COD was monitored in several experimental runs, varying the dilution degree of the oilfield wastewater (10 to 45% v/v) . The volatile suspended solids (VSS) content in the reactor was also monitored and the protein (PTN) and polysaccharide (PS) contents of the suspended biomass were determined . The removal of ammonium and phenols did not vary significantly in the experimental runs, attaining average values of 95% and 65%, respectively . COD removal efficiencies in the range of 30 to 50% were attained in the experiments carried out with dilution percentages of 45 and 35% (v/v) respectively . An experiment carried out with a lower proportion of produced water (15% v/v), keeping the salinity level corresponding to a higher proportion of industrial effluent (45% v/v), led to an improvement in the COD removal, indicating that the recalcitrance of the organic compounds found in the effluent is the main cause ofthe moderate COD removal efficiencies attained in the SBR system . With regard to the composition of the microbial flocs, no significant variation was observed in the PS/PTN, PS/VSS and PTN/VSS ratios when the effluent composition changed (increased salinity and levels of organic material).

Water Res, 2001 Dec, 35(18), 4417 - 25
Aerobic biological treatment of a pharmaceutical wastewater: effect of temperature on cod removal and bacterial community development; Lapara TM et al.; The effect of temperature was studied on the efficiency of soluble COD removal and bacterial community development during the aerobic biological treatment of a pharmaceutical wastewater . Using wastewater and bacterial inoculum obtained from the full-scale facility treating this wastewater, batch laboratory cultures were operated at 5 degrees C intervals from 30 degrees C to 70 C . Following four culture transfers to allow for bacterial acclimation, residual soluble COD levels were measured and bacterial community fingerprints were obtained by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified 16S rRNA gene fragments . Soluble COD removal efficiency declined as temperature increased from 30 degrees C (62%) to 60 degrees C (38%) . Biological treatment of this wastewater failed to occur at temperatures higher than 60 C . Gradual shifts in bacterial community structure were detected as temperature increased, including a concomitant reduction in the number of different bacterial populations . The impact of temperature on a two-stage biological treatment process was also compared . Better soluble COD removal was achieved when both reactors were operated at 30 degrees C compared to a system where the two stages were consecutively operated at 55 degrees C and 30 degrees C . These results indicate that operation of aerobic biological wastewater treatment reactors at elevated temperatures can have adverse effects on process performance.

Ann Oncol, 2001, 12 Suppl 2, S111 - 4
Chemotherapy and biotherapy in the treatment of neuroendocrine tumours; Oberg K; The medical treatment of neuroendocrine GEP tumours must be based on the growth properties of the tumour . Medical treatment includes chemotherapy, somatostatin analogues and alpha interferons . Chemotherapy has been particularly active in patients with high proliferating neuroendocrine tumours such as endocrine pancreatic tumours and lung carcinoids . Streptozotocin-based combinations including 5-flourouracil and doxorubicin have generated partial remissions in 40%-60% of the patients giving a median survival of about two years in patients with advanced disease . Cisplatinum plus etoposide have demonstrated significant antitumour effects in anaplastic endocrine pancreatic tumours and lung carcinoids . However, in low proliferating tumours such as classical midgut carcinoids the response rates with the same combinations of cytotoxic agents have only generated short lasting responses in less than 10% of patients . In these patients, biological treatment has been of benefit . Alpha interferon at doses of 3-9 million units three to seven times per week subcutaneously, has given biochemical response rates of 50% and significant tumour reduction in about 15% of patients with long duration, up to three years . Somatostatin analogues have been widely used in the treatment of neuroendocrine gut and pancreatic tumours . The currently available somatostatin analogues particularly bind somatostatin receptor 2 and 5 and with low affinity also receptor subtype 3 . Octreotide is registered in most countries for the treatment of patients with carcinoid syndrome and also VIP and glucagon producing tumours . Regular octreotide at standard doses of 100-300 microg/day gives symptomatic responses in a medium of 60% of patients and biochemical responses in up to 70% of patients . Significant tumour responses are rare, less than 5% . Long-acting formulations of somatostatin analogues have been of significant benefit for the patients with similar response rates as for regular formulations . The quality of life has been significantly improved by using the long-acting formulations.

J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng, 2001, 36(10), 2011 - 26
Treatment of phosphoric acid plant wastewater using Fenton's reagent and coagulants; Nawghare P et al.; The results of treatability studies viz., Fenton reaction and physico-chemical (coagulation) treatment using lime, alum, Fe salts and polyaluminium chloride (PAC) performed on wastewater generated from a unit manufacturing technical grade phosphoric acid are reported . Due to low biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) chemical oxygen demand (COD) ratio and very low pH, this wastewater is not amenable for biological treatment . The treatability studies indicated that it is possible to remove 75-80% COD using Fenton's reagent at optimum doses of 1.0 g/L FeSO4 and 2 ml of 30% H2O2 . Simultaneously, significant quantities of suspended solids, phosphate and fluoride are also removed . Polyaluminium chloride is found to be more effective towards suspended solids (SS), COD, phosphate and fluoride removal, when compared to other coagulants used in the present study . Addition of an anionic polyelectrolyte (Magnafloc 156) to PAC improved the performance further . A treatment scheme that consists of neutralization (pH 4) + Fenton's reagent + neutralization (pH 7.5) + PAC/Magnafloc 156 is found to be effective in treating phosphoric acid plant wastewater to meet marine discharge standards.

Biotechnol Prog, 2001 Nov-Dec, 17(6), 1084 - 92
Feasibility study of a compact process for biological treatment of highly soluble VOCs polluted gaseous effluent; Daubert I et al.; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs), representing a wide range of products mainly generated by industrial activity, are involved in air pollution . This study deals with a new biological treatment process of gaseous effluent combining a gas/liquid contactor called an "aero-ejector" and a membrane bioreactor . Combining these two innovative technologies enables a high elimination efficiency to be reached.We first focus on transfer phenomena characterization in a pilot installation on a laboratory scale, using a gaseous effluent polluted with a low ethanol concentration (7.1 x 10(-3) kg.m(-3)) . These experiments demonstrated the good transfer performances since 90% of the ethanol was absorbed in the liquid phase in one step . After this physical characterization, the biological aspect of the system was studied using the yeast Candida utilis as microorganism . During the experiment, no ethanol was measured in the fermentation broth nor in the outlet gas, confirming the efficiency of ethanol elimination by C . utilis . The experimental procedure emerging from the present study strongly validates the suitability of this process for ethanol removal from air.

Expert Opin Biol Ther, 2001 Nov, 1(6), 1005 - 16
Biological treatment in acute myelogenous leukaemia: how should T-cell targeting immunotherapy be combined with intensive chemotherapy?
Bruserud O, Wendelboe O.
T-cell targeting immunotherapy is now considered as a possible strategy in the treatment of acute myelogenous leukaemia (AML) . Clinical importance of antileukaemic T-cell reactivity after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT) is well established and the early experience from IL-2 therapy suggests that even autologous T-cells can mediate antileukaemic reactivity . The clinical experience also indicates that immunotherapy should begin when the leukaemia cell burden is minimal, and the detection of an operative cellular immune system, even in patients with chemotherapy-induced cytopenia, further suggests that it is possible to begin T-cell targeting therapy early after chemotherapy while patients are still cytopenic . However, adult patients in particular have a T-cell defect after chemotherapy that may last for several months . For this reason immunotherapy should probably be continued or repeated until a maximal effect is achieved when the patients no longer have a T-cell defect . This treatment approach may also be considered in combination with autologous SCT . T-cell targeting regimens should include, if possible, several therapeutic components . Firstly, native AML blasts can function as accessory cells during T-cell activation and in vivo therapy with T-cell growth factors (e.g., IL-2, IL-15) may then enhance antileukaemic reactivity or non-specific cytotoxicity against the AML cells; and secondly, a further enhancement of AML-specific reactivity may be achieved by vaccination with AML-specific peptides, immunisation with AML-blasts expressing a dendritic cell phenotype, or exposure to normal antigen-presenting cells (APC) pulsed with or expressing AML-specific peptide sequences.

Scand J Rheumatol, 2001, 30(5), 249 - 54
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the third millennium; Skapenko A et al.; Immense progress has been made in recent years in the management of patients with autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) . This progress is largely owed to the advances in our understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of inflammation and autoimmunity and the substantially improved knowledge of molecular biology . In this editorial review, we delineate recent developments in the treatment of RA with a focus on biological therapeutics . we outline the concerns and open questions risen by the current studies and we portray future expectations based on the recent observations from those trials with biological treatment interventions.

Environ Sci Technol, 2001 Nov 1, 35(21), 4390 - 3
Reduction of AOX in the bleach plant of a pulp mill; Barroca MJM et al.; The reconfiguration of an existing five-stage bleaching D0E1D1E2D2 sequence is proposed to ensure the minimal formation of organochlorine compounds, expressed as AOX, in the bleach plant of a kraft pulp mill processing Eucalyptus globulus wood . This reduction of the load of AOX in the effluents can be achieved without introducing new and expensive technologies in the bleaching process . In practice, this goal can be achieved by eliminating the washing step between the D0 and the E1 stages . With this strategy, the total AOX in the liquid effluent of the bleach plant can be reduced by almost 65% while maintaining a level of 90% ISO brightness of the pulp and even diminishing the degradation of its polysaccharides . With this process redesign, the total AOX discharge from the bleach plant can be decreased from 1.2 to 0.42 kg/t prior to any biological treatment . Furthermore, the proposed modified (D0E1)D1E2D2 sequence enables the reduction of the total flow rate of effluent to be treated and also the total consumption of water, which is quite critical in these types of plants . Moreover, with this strategy, one is able to move the first drum washer of a conventional bleaching sequence to the entrance of the bleach plant . This gives rise to a cleaner pulp and therefore to lower requirements of chlorine dioxide, which in turn will enable further reductions in the global AOX generation.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 44(5), 103 - 8
Degradation of olive mill wastewater by the combination of Fenton's reagent and ozonation processes with an aerobic biological treatment; Beltran-Heredia J et al.; Degradation of olive mill wastewater (OMW) by means of two chemical oxidation processes (Fenton's reagent and ozonation) and their consecutive treatments with aerobic microorganisms have been studied . Fenton's reagent treatment moderately reduces COD and to a greater extent the polyphenolic compounds . Ozonation contributed to low conversion of COD and moderate reduction of polyphenols . The aerobic biological treatments degrade to values higher than 70% and 90% for COD and polyphenolic compounds, respectively . A kinetic study has been carried out in each process, determining the representative kinetic parameters of each model.

Adv Space Res, 2001, 27(9), 1563 - 70
Functional, regulatory and indicator features of microorganisms in man-made ecosystems; Somova LA et al.; Functional, regulatory and indicator features of microorganisms in development and functioning of the systems and sustaining stability of three man-made ecosystem types has been studied . 1) The functional (metabolic) feature was studied in aquatic ecosystems of biological treatment of sewage waters for the reducer component . 2) The regulatory feature of bacteria for plants (producer component) was studied in simple terrestrial systems "wheat plants-rhizospheric microorganisms-artificial soil" where the behavior of the system varied with activity of the microbial component . For example with atmospheric carbon dioxide content elevated microbes promote intensification of photosynthesis processes, without binding the carbon in the plant biomass . 3) The indicator feature for the humans (consumer component) was studied in Life Support Systems (LSS) . High sensitivity of human microflora to system conditions allowed its use as an indicator of the state of both system components and the entire ecosystem . Grant numbers: N99-04-96017, N15 . c 2001 . COSPAR . Published by Elsevier Science Ltd . All rights reserved.

Environ Sci Technol, 2001 Oct 1, 35(19), 3981 - 7
Thermal oxidation kinetics and mechanism of sludge from a wastewater treatment plant; Tettamanti M et al.; The organic fraction of a sludge from a wastewater biological treatment plant is characterized by the total organic carbon, TOC, content, cyclohexane and toluene extractions, and thermal desorptions in nitrogen and air flow at different temperatures . The inorganic fraction is characterized by water extraction, FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersion X-ray analysis . The thermal degradation rate of organic carbon is studied in batch experiments in air, in the 250-500 degrees C temperature range . The sample TOC is used to measure the decrease of reagent concentration with time . The TOC vs time data are well fitted by a generalized kinetic model, previously proposed for the MSWIs fly ash thermal degradation . The rate constants of the immediate carbon gasification, k2, and of the dissociative oxygen chemisorption, k1, followed by C(O) intermediate gasification, k3, together with activation and thermodynamic parameters are calculated . The rate determining step is the C(O) oxidation . The influence of desorbed or extracted organic compounds on kinetics and the role of the C(O) formation in explaining the reaction mechanism as well as the comparison with fly ash kinetics are discussed.

Trends Biotechnol, 2001 Nov, 19(11), 457 - 62
Two-phase partitioning bioreactors: a new technology platform for destroying xenobiotics; Daugulis AJ; Toxic organic compounds (xenobiotics) pose serious environmental and health risks worldwide . Biological treatment of these materials is severely constrained by their toxic and inhibitory nature and great care is required with respect to the rate at which they are provided to cells . The use of a second, distinct, organic phase in a bioreactor has been shown to provide a virtually foolproof means of feeding substrate to cells because this process concept relies only on thermodynamic equilibrium and the cells' own rate of metabolism . This technology can be applied to stockpiled xenobiotics as well as contamination of air, water and soil environments.

Rev Soc Bras Med Trop, 2001 Sep-Oct, 34(5), 421 - 8
{Sludge anaerobic treatment and its efficiency in reducing the viability of helminth eggs}; Paulino RC et al.; This study evaluates the prevalence and viability of helminth eggs and protozoan cysts in sludge obtained by anaerobic treatment in four treatment stations in Curitiba, Parana State, Brazil . The parasites observed were helminths: Ascaris sp (85%), Toxocara sp (5.5%), Trichuris sp (4.5%), Hymenolepis diminuta (3.7%), H . nana (1%) and Taenia sp (0.4%), protozoan: Isospora sp, Entamoeba coli, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Endolimax nana . In biological treatment based on the anaerobic digestion the effectiveness depends on the duration and temperature . The treatment showed efficiency for pathogen reduction of between 59.7 to 93% . However, the number of helminth eggs found in treatment stations was still high and new higher performance treatment is necessary for land application or for other objectives, seeking to reduce the risks for human and animal health.

Chemosphere, 2001 Oct, 45(1), 11 - 20
Enhanced degradation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons by biodegradation combined with a modified Fenton reaction; Nam K et al.; A study has been conducted to enhance degradation of a mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) by combining biodegradation with hydrogen peroxide oxidation in a former manufactured gas plant (MGP) soil . An active bacterial consortium enriched from the MGP surface soil (0-2 m) biodegraded more than 90% of PAHs including 2-, 3-, and 4-ring hydrocarbons in a model soil . The consortium was also able to transform about 50% of 4- and 5-ring hydrocarbons in the MGP soil . As a chemical oxidant, Fenton's reagent (H2O2 + Fe2+) was very efficient in the destruction of a mixture of PAHs (i.e., naphthalene (NAP), fluorene (FLU), phenanthrene (PHE), anthracene (ANT), pyrene (PYR), chrysene (CHR), and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP)) in the model soil; noticeably, 84.5% and 96.7% of initial PYR and BaP were degraded, respectively . In the MGP soil, the same treatment destroyed more than 80% of 2- and 3-ring hydrocarbons and 20-40% of 4- and 5-ring compounds . However, the low pH requirement (pH 2-3) for optimum Fenton reaction made the process incompatible with biological treatment and posed potential hazards to the soil ecosystem where the reagent was used . In order to overcome such limitation, a modified Fenton-type reaction was performed at near neutral pH by using ferric ions and chelating agents such as catechol and gallic acid . By the combined treatment of the modified Fenton reaction and biodegradation, more than 98% of 2- or 3-ring hydrocarbons and between 70% and 85% of 4- or 5-ring compounds were degraded in the MGP soil, while maintaining its pH about 6-6.5.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 44(2-3), 219 - 26
Aerobic biological treatment of grease from urban wastewater treatment plants; Canler JP et al.; Biological grease treatment is rapidly expanding in France, with about sixty plants recorded in 1998 . They are designed at a volumetric loading of 2.5 kg COD/m3 of reactor per day . Several sites have been selected for their representativity and studied . Prior to detailed monitoring over a long period, preliminary investigations provided some information on the operation of these reactors . They showed that most of them are not optimized (low removal efficiency), but have limited operational constraints given their low load . This study enabled us to assess the quantity actually skimmed from the surface of the aerated grease separator in relation to the lipids in raw sewage, and to define the precautions to be taken for sampling and analysis of grease, before any data interpretation . A detailed measurement series was then implemented . It shows the considerable value of this process for the reduction of lipids and highlights the main operational parameters in order to obtain high performance while keeping low operating constraints.

Water Res, 2001 Oct, 35(14), 3496 - 501
Abundance, biomass and viability of bacteria in wastewaters: impact of treatment in horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands; Decamp O et al.; The aims of this project were to assess bacterial populations (abundance, biomass and viability) in the influents and effluents of four constructed wetlands, and to analyse the effect of such biological treatment on these bacterial characteristics . Using the BacLight probe it was possible to determine the total abundance, the proportion of intact vs . damaged cells, and the lengths, widths and biovolumes, of bacteria in each of the samples . The reduction in bacterial concentration was higher (67%) in the wetland used for secondary treatment than in those used for tertiary treatment (15-39%) . The proportion of damaged cells was higher in the influent (i.e . settled sewage) of the wetland used for secondary treatment (78%) than in the influents of those wetlands used for tertiary treatment (45-70%) . This suggested that the majority of bacteria in the settled sewage were dead or damaged, and that these were removed from the wastewaters more effectively than were undamaged cells during conventional secondary treatment (in this case, using rotating biological contactors or RBCs) . In each wetland, the proportion of damaged cells was higher in the influent than in the effluent, suggesting that, as with RBCs, damaged bacteria were removed more effectively within the wetland than undamaged bacteria . The majority of bacteria leaving the constructed wetlands used for tertiary treatment, and 50% of those leaving the secondary treatment wetland, were physically intact and therefore probably viable . Although there was a decrease in the abundance of total bacteria with treatment, bacterial biomass did not necessarily decrease with the treatment.

Water Res, 2001 Oct, 35(14), 3429 - 35
Influence of a transverse flowrate on the oxygen transfer performance in heterogeneous aeration: case of hydro-ejectors; Fonade C et al.; This paper deals with the scaling of aeration devices, and more specifically hydro-ejectors, in the case of heterogeneous aeration . Because the transfer of oxygen only occurs in a very small part of the volume of the treatment basin, the transfer performance of the aerator depends on the device itself and on the surrounding flow characteristics . First experiments were achieved with a 10 L mechanically agitated reactor in order to operate at a known kLa and liquid flowrate Q . The results show that the oxygen transfer capacity of the reactor is used to a greater or lesser extent depending on the flowrate which passes through the bubbling region . When a hydro-ejector is concerned, the oxygen transfer occurs inside an aerated zone of about 2 m3; experiments carried out with an industrially scaled HE in a 120 m3 test basin allowed to estimate that the kLa in this zone is about 700-800 h(-1) . Applying a compartment model, it is then possible to determine the oxygen transfer capacity of the HE as a function of the transverse liquid flowrate . While this OC is 3 kg O2/h under the test basin conditions, it reaches up to 12 kg O2/h under industrial flow conditions . This value was obtained in the aerobic biological treatment of the washing waters of a sugar refinery where two 33,000 m3 basins aerated by 152 HE could degrade 35 t/d of COD.

J Environ Sci Health A Tox Hazard Subst Environ Eng, 2001, 36(7), 1245 - 55
Biological treatment of pulp mill wastewater using sequencing batch reactors; Dubeski CV et al.; Lab-scale sequencing batch reactors were used to treat chemithermomechanical pulping wastewater that had chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) in the range of 5,980-8,990 mg/L, and 2,240-3,190 mg/L, respectively . A cycle time of 24 hour, with a hydraulic retention time of 34.3 hours was used . With 1 hour of settling, COD and BOD reductions of 30-41% and 67-78% were observed . However, with a 4-hour settling, COD and BOD reductions of 53-62% and 88-94% were achieved, respectively . Most of the oxygen demand reductions occurred within the first 16 hours of aeration . Adjustment of pH did not result in significant improvement in COD removal . Resin acids and fatty acids concentrations in the CTMP wastewater were reduced in the SBR process; however, they were still not fully detoxified in the effluent.

Adv Space Res, 1997, 20(10), 1805 - 13
Integrating biological treatment of crop residue into a hydroponic sweetpotato culture; Trotman AA et al.; Residual biomass from hydroponic culture of sweetpotato {Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.} was degraded using natural bacterial soil isolates . Sweetpotato was grown for 120 days in hydroponic culture with a nutrient solution comprised of a ratio of 80% modified half Hoagland solution to 20% filtered effluent from an aerobic starch hydrolysis bioreactor . The phytotoxicity of the effluent was assayed with Waldmann's Green' lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and the ratio selected after a 60-day bioassay using sweetpotato plants propagated vegetatively from cuttings . Controlled environment chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the impact of filtrate from biological treatment of crop residue on growth and storage root production with plants grown in a modified half Hoagland solution . Incorporation of bioreactor effluent, reduced storage root yield of 'Georgia Jet' sweetpotato but the decrease was not statistically significant when compared with yield for plants cultured in a modified half Hoagland solution without filtrate . However, yield of 'TU-82-155' sweetpotato was significantly reduced when grown in a modified half Hoagland solution into which filtered effluent had been incorporated . Total biomass was significantly reduced for both sweetpotato cultivars when grown in bioreactor effluent . The leaf area and dry matter accumulation were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced for both cultivars when grown in solution culture containing 20% filtered effluent.

Waste Manag Res, 1991 Oct, 9(5), 425 - 30
Processes for water reclamation; Dean RB; Water treatments fall into two broad classes; those that remove or destroy specific classes of pollutants, i.e . color, metal ions, hardness, sediment, bacteria, etc., and those that remove water from nearly all of the pollutants . The first class includes sedimentation, biological treatment by microbes, chemical precipitation, adsorption on active carbon or ion exchange resins, and disinfection . The second class includes distillation, freezing and reverse osmosis (RO) . The first class are the least expensive in terms of energy and have a long history of successful use on a large scale to reclaim water containing sewage . Most of the second group are energy intensive and have been used primarily on a moderate scale . All processes, except disinfection, leave a residual sludge or brine that contains a substantial quantity of water . Many of the problems of treating waste water for reuse on Earth stem from the fact that waste water carries pathogenic organisms from one location to another and may spread disease over long distances . In a closed group, such as in a Space Station, there are so many other routes for transfer of microorganisms, i.e . in the air, on surfaces, by hand-to-mouth, that undue emphasis on disinfection of water is inappropriate . Successful examples of water reuse on Earth are reviewed in terms of their possible application in space.

Chemosphere, 2001 Sep, 44(8), 1737 - 47
Ecotoxicological and chemical evaluation of phenolic compounds in industrial effluents; Guerra R; The aim of this paper was to evaluate the ecotoxicological response of industrial effluents containing phenolic compounds . All complex effluents collected from a chemical plant and then after both a chemical-physical and biological treatment were characterised with chemical analysis, biodegradability tests and four ecotoxicological tests (Daphnia magna, Artemia salina, Brachionus plicatilis and Vibriofisheri with Microtox) . The evaluation of the chemical and ecotoxicological data was useful for predicting the effect of the raw effluent on the treatment plant and the impact of the final treated effluent on the receiving water . Besides the toxicity of the effluent from the chemical plants, the acute toxicity of its main components was also determined . The results of the tests and toxicity data from literature were transformed in Toxic Units (TUs) . Effluent toxicity was under- or over-estimated by calculating the sum of the TUs of the individual components, depending on which toxicity data and test organisms were used.

Pharmacopsychiatry, 2001 Jul, 34(4), 142 - 6
Acceptance of pharmacotherapy for relapse prevention by chronic alcoholics; Wetterling T et al.; The willingness to take medication is a major prerequisite for compliance with biological treatment approaches in psychiatric disorders . The aim of this study was to investigate the willingness of alcoholics to improve relapse prevention using drug therapy, since there has been little information about the acceptance of such a medication as yet . 261 chronic alcoholics consecutively referred for detoxification completed a newly developed questionnaire containing items on drinking history, recent treatments, and beliefs about drug therapy for relapse prevention . In order to draw comparisons, 67 self-help group attendees and 29 alcoholics consulting an outpatient advice service were also recruited . 67.8% of the recently detoxified alcoholics were prepared to take medication for relapse prevention, if prescribed, while 60% the self-help group attendees refused drug therapy . There was no correlation between the acceptance of drug treatment and duration of dependence . Subjects willing to take a medication more often believed their alcoholism to be curable, and they reported a higher craving frequency . 55% of those willing to take a medication were willing to pay for the drugs, but in most cases, at a level lower than the equivalent of 5 beers . As drug therapy acceptance is a crucial part of compliance with, and success of medical relapse prevention, our results underscore the necessity of a thorough exploration into the health beliefs of the patient and joint development of a treatment rationale prior to prescription.

Chemosphere, 2001 Aug, 44(5), 1103 - 8
Enzymatic treatment of sanitary landfill leachate; Zouboulis AI et al.; The objective of this investigation was to study the effectiveness of applying enzymes (bioaugmentation) for enhancement of biological treatability of leachates generated in a typical municipal solid waste sanitary landfill . The basic purpose of enzyme use is to enforce the biodecomposition of organic constituents, as well as to reduce nitrogen content . A laboratory-scale sequencing batch (bio)reactor (SBR) was used for the examination of enzymatic application . The effect of different operation strategies on the efficiency of this biological treatment process was studied to optimize performance, especially for the removal of nitrogen compounds and of biodegradable organic matter . It was found that the enzymatic process was able to remove organic matter effectively (expressed as BOD5 and COD) and nitrogen content, color and turbidity.

J AOAC Int, 2001 Jul-Aug, 84(4), 1074 - 85
Determination of phenolic xenoestrogens in environmental samples by liquid chromatography with mass spectrometric detection; Petrovic M et al.; A method is proposed for the determination of several phenolic xenoestrogens in aqueous and solid environmental samples . The method uses solid-phase extraction (preceded by ultrasonic solvent extraction for solid samples), reversed-phase liquid chromatographic separation, and mass spectrometric detection using both atmospheric pressure chemical ionization and electrospray ionization . This method was developed to support several studies undertaken to obtain aquatic and sedimentary data for rivers and seashores in Spain that are likely to be contaminated by endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) as a consequence of wastewater discharge . Nonylphenol polyethoxylates (NPEOs), nonylphenoxy carboxylates (NPECs), nonylphenol (NP), octylphenol (OP), and bisphenol A (BPA) were determined in various samples of surface water and sediment, collected at different locations upstream and downstream from outfalls of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) . Seawater and marine sediments were collected in different harbor areas in Spain . Additionally, WWTP influent and effluents were analyzed to monitor the occurrence and transformation of phenolic EDCs during physicochemical and biological treatment . Rather high concentrations of the compounds investigated were found in some samples . Concentrations of NP were < or = 590 microg/kg in sediments and < or = 15 microg/L in water samples . NPEOs and NPECs were found in water samples in concentrations < or = 41 and < or = 35 microg/L, respectively . In solid samples (river sediment), concentrations of NPEO were < or = 818 microg/kg and those of NP1EC were 95 microg/kg.

Zhonghua Er Bi Yan Hou Ke Za Zhi, 1998 Feb, 33(1), 38 - 41
{Experimental studies on antitumor activity of new recombinant human tumour necrosis factor in nude mice bearing nasopharyngeal carcinoma}; Dong W et al.; OBJECTIVE: Nude mice model bearing nasopharyngeal carcinoma were established using nasopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cell line (CNE-2) . METHODS: New recombinant human tumor necrosis factor (NrhTNF-alpha) and carboplatin were administered locally or systemically, single or in combination . The microstructural and ultra-micro-structural changes of carcinoma after administration of NrhTNF-alpha were observed under light and electron microscopes . RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: 1 . After treatment, the tumor showed hemorrhage, necrosis, regression, the survival time was prolonged . 2 . Locally administered NrhTNF-alpha had more significant antitumor effect than intravenously administered of NrhTNF-alpha . 3 . There is a notable synergistic antitumor effect by the combination use of NrhTNF-alpha and carboplatin . 4 . Microscopy showed that cell changes mostly took place in plasma especially in mitochondria and endoplosmic reticula . The mitochondria were highly bloated . Besides, some nuclei were condensed and fragmented, resulted in cell death . These studies provide experimental basis for biological treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 44(1), 33 - 9
Implementation of EU discharge guidelines at IVAR's Regional Wastewater Treatment Plant of North Jaeren, Stavanger, Norway; Tornes O; Norway is a leading country on wastewater treatment comprising chemical precipitation processes . This is because Norwegian effluent standards to the North Sea have traditionally focused on phosphorus removal . In most cases, chemical treatment therefore has been considered to give lower investment and operating costs than biological treatment . Norwegian wastewater policy and management is based on the EU guidelines resulting from the EEA (European Economic Area) Agreement . According to the 1991 Urban Wastewater Treatment Directive, this will in most cases require secondary treatment . However, primary treatment can be accepted for plants larger than 10,000 PT with effluents to less sensitive coastal areas, if no negative environmental impacts can be proved . The main objective of the Regional Water, Sewerage and Waste Company (IVAR) is to comply with the prevailing effluent limits at lowest possible cost . During the past four years, IVAR has therefore undertaken comprehensive optimising of the precipitation process including full-scale experiments with different coagulant dosing control systems and different types of coagulants . IVAR also accomplished a feasibility study of introducing biological treatment as an alternative to chemical treatment . Under the prevailing frame conditions of discharge requirements and sludge deposit costs, it is not economically feasible to change to organic coagulants or biological treatment . This conclusion might have to be altered resulting from the implementation of new EU regulations and increasing sludge deposit costs . This paper presents results from full-scale experiments, extracts from the feasibility study and a comparison of costs . Furthermore, the practical consequences of implementing the EU-guidelines are discussed.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 44(1), 129 - 35
What to do after nutrient removal?
van der Graaf JH.
In the Netherlands, interest in advanced treatment is increasing now that almost all wastewater treatment plants apply full biological treatment and nutrient removal . The resulting effluents have an excellent quality which can be improved further by applying advanced treatment processes like flocculating filtration, membrane filtration, UV or activated carbon, and others . The treated effluent can be re-used for various purposes, as process water, household water, urban water, for groundwater suppletion and drinking water . Nowadays many applications are investigated . In order to confirm the applicability pilot test investigations are done at various WWTPs . The results are promising; the cost estimations show increasing prospects . This will finally lead to the maturity of the advanced treatment . It will certainly contribute to a more sustainable water cycle.

J Clin Psychiatry, 2001, 62 Suppl 17, 4 - 10
What is posttraumatic stress disorder?
Shalev AY.
Our understanding of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has increased significantly over the last 2 decades . Although the cause of the condition is usually easy to determine in individual patients, the symptoms of PTSD are diverse and a mixture of psychological processes are involved . This article presents a broad overview of PTSD, including its definition according to DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria, and its clinical course with reference to its association with depression and other mental disorders . The article also briefly reviews the assessment of patients and considers physiologic features such as responses to startle stimuli that appear to be useful in diagnosing PTSD and in differentiating it from other anxiety disorders and depression . Finally, a brief overview of the treatment of PTSD is given, including psychological and biological treatment options.

Environ Technol, 2001 Jun, 22(6), 697 - 704
Biological treatment of fishery washing water using Bacillus sphaericus coupled with production of spores that are toxic to mosquito larvae; Ariff AB et al.; Research was undertaken to investigate the treatment of fishery washing water using Bacillus sphaericus, and to recover the spores for subsequent use as bioinsecticide to control the population of mosquitoes . This treatment method could reduce pollution due to organic matter by decreasing the value of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) and Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) by about 85% and 92%, respectively . The maximum concentration of spores (83.3 x 10(7) spores ml(-1)) using normal concentration of filtered fishery washing water was only about 27% lower than that obtained in fermentation using 0.25% (w/v) yeast extract . The larvicidal activity of the spores produced in fermentation using fishery washing water to Culex quinquefaciatus, as measured by LD50 after 48 h, was almost the same as the larvicidal activity of spores obtained from fermentation using yeast extract.

Environ Technol, 2001 Jun, 22(6), 639 - 45
Variations of landfill leachate's properties in conjunction with the treatment process; Park S et al.; A study was done on the variations of water quality parameters, in conjunction with the processing steps, installed for the treatment of leachate from a sanitary landfill . The leachate was primarily subjected to biological treatment, composed of anaerobic digestion, aerobic treatment, and rotating biological contact in series . The effluent from the rotating biological contact process was further treated by combination of flocculation-sedimentation and adsorption processes . Finally, it was polished by the reverse osmosis process before discharge . The quality of raw leachate, of influents to and of effluents from the reverse osmosis process was assessed and compared . To determine size--dependent behavior of organic materials, analyses were also made for the fractionated samples through ultrafiltration . The overall treatment efficiency was about 98% for removal of organic materials . Most of the organic materials were in the low molecular weight range . In particular, about 95% of the biological oxygen demand was found to be exerted by the fraction of organic material of which cut -off molecular weight was less than 500 . The analysis of molecular weight distribution confirmed that the organic materials resistant to the removal by the treatment process were humic substances, of which cut off molecular weight was greater than 500 . The reverse osmosis process showed a high efficiency for removal of high molecular weight constituents . However, the final effluent showed an unexpectedly high oxygen demand.

Waste Manag, 2001, 21(6), 563 - 8
Treatment of anti-osmotic drug based pharmaceutical effluent in an upflow anaerobic fluidized bed system; Saravanane R et al.; During the production of Cephradine (a main constituent of anti-osmotic drug) a large quantity of concentrated effluent was produced . The main polluting compounds in this effluent are osmotic drug, acetic acid and ammonia . The feasibility of using a fluidized bed reactor under anaerobic condition with bioaugmentation to treat anti-osmotic drug based pharmaceutical effluent was evaluated . The main objective of the study was to show that bioaugmentation could be used to promote biological treatment to applications where conventional operation might be difficult or unfavourable . The effluent with chemical oxygen demand (COD) of 14000-18000 mg/l was treated in a fluidized bed reactor with a hydraulic retention time of 3-12 h . The reactor was unable to maintain consistent removal in conventional mode of operation due to an inability to retain and grow biomass . The COD reduction (%) after inoculation from a sequencing batch reactor was related to influent concentration, mass of inoculum and hydraulic retention time characterized by calculating the initial food to microorganism ratio . The role of volatile fatty acid (VFA) as cosubstrate was assessed with respect to COD reduction (%) . Continuous COD reduction (%) attained a maximum value of 88.5% using bioaugmentation through periodic addition of acclimated cells every 2 days with 30-73.2 g of cells from an off-line enricher reactor.

Environ Sci Technol, 2001 Jul 1, 35(13), 2849 - 53
Photoassisted electrochemical degradation of organic pollutants on a DSA type oxide electrode: process test for a phenol synthetic solution and its application for the E1 bleach Kraft mill effluent; Pelegrini RT et al.; In this paper, the performance of a photoassisted electrolysis process, for the degradation of organic pollutants, is investigated . Results obtained in this work have shown that the thermally prepared anode of titanium, coated with 70TiO2/30RuO2, exhibits photoactivity and may be used for the treatment of effluents . A synthetic phenol aqueous solution and a real paper mill industry effluent were treated . Kinetic analysis showed a synergetic effect of electrolysis and photocatalysis and degradation rates are an order of magnitude greater than the sum of the results reached by using both processes individually . Using a 125 W mercury bulb and 20 mA cm-2, the phenol concentration decayed 85% in 90 min and 70% reduction of TOC was obtained . In the application of the treatment process for the degradation of the E1 bleach Kraft mill effluent, total phenols were practically eliminated in a short period of processing time, and color, usually resistant to biological treatment, was reduced to 10% from its initial value measured in terms of absorbance . Reductions of AOX, COD, and BOD by 25%, 30%, and 35%, respectively, were also observed.

Ugeskr Laeger, 2001 May 28, 163(22), 3056 - 9
{Placebo and superfluous actions in clinical practice}; Barfod TS et al.; There is a therapeutic potential in the doctor-patient relationship, in the diagnostic process, and in the symbolic elements of medical therapy . This unspecific effect seems, however, to be mainly caused by the doctor-patient relationship and the diagnostic process, and superfluous investigations and treatments should therefore not be initiated due to an unfounded idea about the potential of the so-called placebo effect . This article tries to identify the unspecific elements in therapy and their therapeutic potential . It is pointed out, that the outcome of a treatment is a sum of the effect of the relationship between the physician and the patient, plus the specific biological treatment effect, plus the incidental effect including the effect of the patients knowledge of being under treatment . The article asks for more research in the first and the last of these three components of therapy.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 43(11), 275 - 82
Enhancement of anaerobic treatability of olive oil mill effluents by addition of Ca(OH)2 and bentonite without intermediate solid/liquid separation; Beccari M et al.; Previous work on the anaerobic treatment of olive oil mill effluents (OME) have shown: (a) lipids, even if more easily degraded than phenols, were potentially capable of inhibiting methanogenesis more strongly; (b) a pretreatment based on addition of Ca(OH)2 and bentonite removed lipids almost quantitatively; (c) preliminary biotreatability tests performed on the pretreated OME showed high bioconversion into methane at very low dilutions ratios, especially when the mixture (OME, Ca(OH)2 and bentonite) was fed to the biological treatment without providing an intermediate phase separation . This paper was directed towards two main aims: (a) to optimize pretreatment: the best results in terms of methane production were obtained by addition of Ca(OH)2 up to pH 6.5 and of 10 g L-1 of bentonite; (b) to evaluate the enhancement of anaerobic treatability of OME pretreated under optimized conditions in a lab-scale continuous methanogenic reactor fed with the substrate without intermediate solid/liquid separation: very satisfactory performances were obtained (at an organic load of 8.2 kg COD m-3 d-1 and at a dilution ratio of 1:1.5 total COD removal was 91%, biogas production was 0.80 g CH4 (as COD)/g tot . COD, lipids removal was 98%, phenols removal was 63%) . The results confirm the double role played by bentonite (adsorption of the inhibiting substances and release of the adsorbed biodegradable matter in the methanogenic reactor).

Can J Psychiatry, 2001 Jun, 46 Suppl 1, 63S - 76S
Clinical guidelines for the treatment of depressive disorders . VI . Special populations; Thorpe L et al.; BACKGROUND: The Canadian Psychiatric Association and the Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments partnered to produce clinical guidelines for psychiatrists for the treatment of depressive disorders . METHODS: A standard guidelines development process was followed . Relevant literature was identified using a computerized Medline search supplemented by review of bibliographies . Operational criteria were used to rate the quality of scientific evidence, and the line of treatment recommendations included consensus clinical opinion . This section, "Special Populations," is 1 of 7 articles that were drafted and reviewed by clinicians . Revised drafts underwent national and international expert peer review . RESULTS: This section reports on the prevalence, course, and outcome of depression for specific populations . Psychological, pharmacologic, and other biological treatment options for these populations--children and adolescents, the elderly, women at times of increased risk within the reproductive cycle, and specific ethnocultural groups--are critically evaluated . CONCLUSIONS: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is prevalent across the lifespan . In general, clinical presentations are more similar than different across age, sex, and cultural divides . Although less evidence is available for the efficacy of treatments in these subpopulations than in mid-life patients, comparable rates of response for pharmacotherapies, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and, in some cases, evidence-based psychotherapies have been reported.

AIHAJ, 2001 May-Jun, 62(3), 330 - 41
Emissions of chemical compounds and bioaerosols during the secondary treatment of paper mill effluents; Goyer N et al.; This study identified and quantified the main chemical compounds--the substances responsible for the disagreeable odors--and the bioaerosols emitted during the biological treatment of paper mill effluents . It also identified the characteristics of the process that effects the generation or diffusion of these substances . All treatment stages were evaluated . Measuring sites were located as closely as possible to the potential emission sources . Measurements were taken in the summer in 11 paper mills during a 2- to 3-day period in each mill . Chemical compounds were evaluated by direct-reading instruments; bioaerosols were sampled by impaction and counted . Sulfur compounds, emitted into the air when the effluent or the sludge is stirred, had the highest concentrations; their presence was attributable to such things as kraft-type paper pulp . Next in concentration were the carbon and nitrogen oxides, ammonia, and some organic acids, produced by the action of microorganisms . These acids are found mainly in the sludge environment . Terpenes, which come from wood, are present at various locations in paper mills . Odor perception thresholds for most of these substances are much lower than those established to protect the health of workers . Significant concentrations of total bacteria, total molds, and endotoxins were measured at several sites . Gram-negative bacteria were high at only one site, whereas the mold Aspergillus fumigatus was occasionally present at low concentration . No actinomycetes bacteria were detected . The highest concentrations were measured where there was water or dust aerosolization . Emissions are therefore controlled by controlling the operations that lead to the dispersion of water and particles into the air.

Huan Jing Ke Xue, 2001 Mar, 22(2), 82 - 6
{Anaerobic biological treatment of Lincomycin production wastewater}; Yang J et al.; The high-strength Lincomycin production wastewater containing toxic and refractory substances treated by lab-scale mesophilic UASB reactor was described . When the reactor was operated in influent COD 8000-14,000 mg/L and HRT 10 h, the volumetric loading rate and COD removal rate could reach 20-35 kg/(m3.d) and 50%-55%, respectively . The granular sludge might be formatted by using a bit longer acclimation time, adjusting and maintaining fairly high surface hydraulic loading rate of 0.2-0.4 m3/(m2.h), influent COD of 2000-3000 mg/L and sludge loading rate of 0.2-0.5 kg/(kg.d) . The anaerobic kinetic constants of Vmax and Ks for the wastewater treatment were 1.3 d-1 and 8133 mg/L, respectively . The non-biodegradable substances accounted for about 30% of total COD, which was the important factor of relative low COD removal rate for the wastewater.

Bioresour Technol, 2001 Aug, 79(1), 91 - 4
Improvement of the physical properties of reprocessed paper by using biological treatment with modified cellulase; Park J et al.; A primary need for waste paper reprocessing is to preserve optical properties and the physical strength of the paper fibers . In this study, modified cellulase with copolymer, polyethylene oxide (PEO) derivatives and maleic anhydride (MA) was applied to the reprocessing of mixed office waste (MOW) . Modified cellulase was prepared by a chemical reaction between amino groups of the cellulase and the MA functional groups of the copolymer . In MOW reprocessing, modified cellulase improved several physical properties of the paper including freeness, optical properties, and physical strength compared to the conventional process . Even though native cellulase improved the physical properties, paper treated with modified cellulase exhibited an increase in physical properties such as tensile strength and internal bond over those of unmodified cellulase . From these results, modified cellulase method is a new biological treatment that will save pulp resources, which are added to waste paper reprocessing to maintain the strength of paper.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 43(8), 107 - 13
Removal of hydrocarbons from petrochemical wastewater by dissolved air flotation; Galil NI et al.; The dissolved air flotation (DAF) method has an important role in the removal of hydrocarbons, as well as in the protection of the biological treatment, which usually follows the DAF . The aims of this study were to evaluate the removal efficiencies of suspended solids, general organic matter, hydrocarbons and phenols by DAF, as influenced by the flocculant type, aluminum sulfate (alum) or a cationic polyelectrolyte . Laboratory batch experiments included chemical flocculation followed by DAF, controlling the flocculant dose and the air to solids ratio . The characterization of the influent and effluent was based on general analysis of organic matter (COD), suspended solids, hydrocarbons and phenols . The influent to all experiments was supplied daily from the outlet of a full scale oil-water gravitational separation unit at a petrochemical complex in Haifa, Israel . The influent contained hydrocarbons in the range of 20 to 77 mg/L . Usually less than 10% were found in "free" form, 70 to 80% were emulsified and 10 to 20% were dissolved . The DAF process enabled us to reduce the general hydrocarbon content by 50 to 90% . The effluent was characterized by stable and uniform levels of suspended solids, and oil, almost without depending on the influent concentrations . The results indicate that the chemical flocculation followed by DAF removed efficiently the emulsified phase, which could be aggregated and separated to the surface . However, it was found that the process could also remove substantial amounts of dissolved organic matter . This mechanism could be explained by the hydrophobic characteristics of some of the substances, which could bind to the solid surfaces . It was found that aggregates created by the flocculation with the cationic polyelectrolite (C-577) could remove up to 40% from the dissolved hydrocarbon . Alum flocs also indicated removal of soluble materials, mainly phenols . The results obtained in this study indicated the possibility to improve the protection of the biological treatment process by preliminary removal of hydrophobic compounds, usually considered as either inhibitory or toxic . This removal can be based on sorption onto aggregates created by chemical flocculation, which can be efficiently removed by dissolved air flotation.

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry, 2001 May, 25(4), 893 - 924
Anxiety/aggression--driven depression . A paradigm of functionalization and verticalization of psychiatric diagnosis; Van Praag HM; A new subtype of depression is proposed, named: anxiety/aggression-driven depression . The psychopathological, psychopharmacological and biochemical evidence on which this construct is based, is being discussed . Selective postsynaptic 5-HT1A agonists together with CRH and/or cortisol antagonists are hypothesized to be a specific biological treatment for this depression type, in conjunction with psychological interventions to raise the stressor-threshold and to increase coping skills . The development of this depression construct has been contingent on the introduction of two new diagnostic procedures, called functionalization and verticalization of psychiatric diagnosis . These procedures are explained and it is stressed that they are essential to psychiatric diagnosing, in order to put this process on a scientific footing.

Water Sci Technol, 2000, 41(3), 275 - 82
Emission of greenhouse gases from anaerobic digestion processes: comparison with other municipal solid waste treatments; Baldasano JM et al.; This contribution analyzes the anaerobic digestion process and compares GHG emissions estimated for four different management processes for MSW (Municipal Solid Waste): biogasification, landfilling, composting and incineration . The comparison has been undertaken by considering in the estimation of the emissions the full cycle of MSW treatment, and not only the emissions derived from the fraction of MSW treated by each particular system . For instance, the fraction of MSW not submitted to biological treatment has to be incinerated or deposited in a landfill . The corresponding emissions of these processes have to be considered in the calculations of the final emissions.

Water Sci Technol, 2000, 41(3), 189 - 94
Methods for increasing the biogas potential from the recalcitrant organic matter contained in manure; Angelidaki I et al.; The biogas potential of manure could be significantly increased by treatment of the recalcitrant organic matter (biofibers) contained in the manure . Several treatment methods were tested . Mechanical maceration resulted in an average increase of the biogas potential of approximately 17% as shown by the continuous stirred reactor experiment . In general the smaller the fibers the higher the biogas potential was . The best results showed an approximately 20% increase of the biogas potential with fibers smaller than 0.35 mm as measured by batch experiments . The increase was approximately 16% with fibers of size 2 mm . Chemical treatment of the fibers with bases such as NaOH, NH4OH or a combination of bases also resulted in an increased methane potential . However, combination of maceration and chemical treatment did not result in a further increase of the methane potential . There was not any significant difference of the biogas potential from fibers in the range 5-20 mm . Treatment of the fibers with hemicellulolytic or cellulolytic enzymes did not result in any significant increase of the methane potential . However, biological treatment of the fibers of the manure with the hemicellulose degrading bacterium B4 resulted in a significant increase of the biogas potential of manure . An increase of approximately 30% in methane potential was achieved compared to controls.

Water Sci Technol, 2000, 41(3), 129 - 35
Fact-finding survey of actual garbage discharged from dormitory and its biological anaerobic-aerobic treatment; Imai T et al.; The objective of this study is to find a possibility of complete treatment of garbage and resource recovery (production of methane from available utility of carbon resource in garbage) by biological treatment process . As the first step, a fact-finding survey of actual garbage discharged from the dormitory of the Ube National College of Technology (equivalent to 300 population) was carried out . Second, the combined biological anaerobic-aerobic treatment, i.e . combination of upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) process and aerobic membrane bioreactor (AMB) process, was applied to the garbage treatment . The applicability and efficiency of this system were investigated in this study . The survey results showed that the composition and quantity of garbage from a student dormitory changed slightly during a week due to the change of the menu, however, they remained almost unchanged during the entire experimental period . The experimental results showed high biodegradability of the garbage, and demonstrated its suitability for methane production . The soluble nitrogen removal was high: over 97% . No excess sludge was wasted from the system . A high treatment efficiency of simultaneous organic carbon and nitrogen was obtained . The possibility of complete treatment of garbage with this process has been positively demonstrated by this study.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 43(3), 223 - 30
The effect of operating conditions on the performance of soil slurry-SBRs; Cassidy DP et al.; Biological treatment of a silty clay loam with aged diesel fuel contamination was conducted in 8 L Soil Slurry-Sequencing Batch Reactors (SS-SBRs) . The purpose was to monitor slurry conditions and evaluate reactor performance for varying solids concentration (5%, 25%, 40%, 50%), mixing speed (300 rpm, 700 rpm, 1200 rpm), retention time (8 d, 10 d, 20 d), and volume replaced per cycle (10%, 50%, 90%) . Diesel fuel was measured in slurry and in filtered aqueous samples . Oxygen uptake rate (OUR) was monitored . Aggregate size was measured with sieve analyses . Biosurfactant production was quantified with surface tension measurements . Increasing solids concentration and decreasing mixing speed resulted in increased aggregate size, which in turn increased effluent diesel fuel concentrations . Diesel fuel removal was unaffected by retention time and volume replaced per cycle . Biosurfactant production occurred with all operating strategies . Foam thickness was related to surfactant concentration and mixing speed . OUR, surfactant concentration, and foam thickness increased with increasing diesel fuel added per cycle.

Ann Chim, 2001 Mar-Apr, 91(3-4), 203 - 10
Sequential electrochemical/biological treatment for the removal of 2,6-dichlorophenol from synthetic wastewater; Polcaro AM et al.; The paper examines the effect of chloride on the oxidation of 2,6-dichlorophenol (DCP) performed at TiO2/RuO2 DSA anodes, which are specific catalysts for chlorine evolution . The results indicate that chlorine/hypochlorite originating from chloride oxidation in certain favourable conditions reacts with the organic substrate at the diffusion layer near the anode, accelerating the mass transfer of the reactant towards the electrode surface . When the bulk concentration of organic substrate has become very low, the oxidising species can accumulate in the bulk solution where the accomplishment of the oxidation of residual reactant and of its intermediates takes place . Solutions which also contained glucose were electrolysed in order to verify the high level of selectivity of DCP oxidation with respect to a biodegradable substrate: glucose was found to be unchanged up to nearly complete elimination of DCP . The toxicity of the solution was sufficiently reduced to reach values compatible with the subsequent biological treatment.

Water Sci Technol, 2001, 43(2), 321 - 6
Kinetics and toxicity of direct reaction between ozone and 1,2-dihydrobenzene in dilute aqueous solution; Zaror C et al.; The presence of toxic aromatic organic compounds in industrial wastewater affects the efficiency of conventional biological treatment . The oxidizing power of ozone represents an interesting pretreatment to reduce toxicity and increase biodegradability . At low pH, ozone is known to attack electron-rich structures by direct electrophilic reactions which open aromatic rings, and generate smaller oxidized compounds . This paper reports experimental results on kinetic and toxicity aspects of ozone direct reactions with 1,2-dihydrobenzene . This toxic compound is frequently found in cellulose bleaching effluents . Although the reaction pathway is rather complex, 4-carbon compounds, such as maleic acid, are readily formed during the first stage of ozonation . These 4-carbon compounds are further oxidized to form smaller molecules (mostly 2-carbon, such as oxalic acid) . The apparent kinetics of 1,2-dihydrobenzene follows a second order law, with a rate constant around 0.36 (dm3 mmol-1s-1), at pH 2 and 20 degrees C . Results show that the BOD:COD ratio increase five-fold as ozonation progresses . Furthermore, the mutagenicity of 1,2-dihydrobenzene totally disappears as the aromatic compound is destroyed by ozonation.

AIDS Treat News, 1999 Sep 17, (No 327), 1 - 5
Biological treatment approaches, including Tat toxoid vaccine: interview with Robert Gallo, M.D . Interview by John S . James; Gallo R; AIDS: Dr . Robert C . Gallo, Director of the Institute of Human Virology at the University of Maryland in Baltimore, is interviewed about the papers presented at the 1999 International Meeting of the Institute of Human Virology . According to Dr . Gallo, new biological approaches to the treatment of HIV are needed, and more drugs need to be developed . He cites targeting chemokine receptors as one approach to treatment . Another example is Tat toxoid vaccine, which may be used for both treatment and prevention . Mechanisms of prevention and treatment vaccines are presented . Other research being done on the treatment of HIV and AIDS is described briefly . Information on obtaining abstracts from the meeting and contact information are provided .

Water Res, 2001 Jun, 35(8), 2087 - 91
Application of ferrous hydrogen peroxide for treatment of DSD-acid manufacturing process wastewater; Zhu W et al.; A pretreatment method for the biological treatment of wastewater from 4,4'-diaminostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DSD-acid) manufacturing processes, a refractory dye intermediate wastewater, based on combined ferrous hydrogen peroxide oxidation and coagulation-flocculation, was developed . When the wastewater was treated with ferrous hydrogen peroxide oxidation ({Fe2+} = 2.7 mmol/L, {H2O2} = 0.21 mol/L) after a flocculation using an organic flocculant TS-1 at a dosage of 3 g/L, the overall COD and color removals were 64 and 62%, respectively . BOD5/COD value of the effluent was 0.3 . Ferrous hydrogen peroxide oxidation treatment can reduce the solubility of organic molecules with sulfonic group and increase the efficiency of coagulation treatment . The COD and color removals were both more than 90% when FeCl3 was used as the coagulation (dosages of two-step coagulation were 0.031 and 0.012 mol/L respectively) after a ferrous hydrogen peroxide oxidation pretreatment at a H2O2 dosage of 0.06 mol/L.

Water Res, 2001 Apr, 35(6), 1435 - 44
Partitioning of trace metals before and after biological removal of metals from sediments; Chartier M et al.; Metal removal by biological solubilization in three strongly contaminated sediments was carried out in a two-liter stirred bioreactor . Biological treatment yielded metal removal efficiencies in the range of 11-30%, 43-57%, 60-79%, 61-90%, 18-21%, 0-10% for Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni and Cr, respectively . The treated sediments were then rinsed with a NaCl solution (0.5 M), resulting in an increase by nearly 47% in Pb removal for the three sediments, while for other metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr), the NaCl rinse did not seem to allow any significant increase in metal solubilization . A standard procedure of sequential selective extraction (SSE) was applied to the sediments before and after each treatment . With regard to Pb, Zn and Cd, the carbonate bound fractions (2/3 sediments) represented 18-42% of metals prior to treatment, while the iron and manganese oxides bound fraction constituted 39-60% of metals for the three sediments . Between 90 and 100% of Pb, Zn and Cd removed by the process came from the fractions bound to carbonates and from those bound to Fe and Mn oxides . The organic matter and sulfide bound fractions contained 65-72% of total Cu present before treatment and the process removed, on average, 63% Cu present in this fraction . In contrast, Ni and Cr were found mainly in the residual fractions (50-80%) . Finally, this biological treatment did not solubilize Cr appreciably, while removal of Ni mostly originated from the carbonate and Fe/Mn oxides fractions (70-80%).

J Chromatogr A, 2001 Mar 9, 911(1), 135 - 41
Fast determination of phenols in contaminated soils; Baciocchi R et al.; An extraction method for the determination of phenols in contaminated soils, based on the application of solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with GC-flame ionization detection analysis, was developed and tested . This method was developed using a natural soil spiked with phenol to a concentration level typical of an acute contamination event that can occur in an industrial site . The effects of the extraction parameters (pH, extraction time and salt concentration) on the extraction efficiency were studied and the method was then applied to determine the pollutant concentration at the beginning and during the biological treatment of a soil, contaminated with phenol and 3-chlorophenol, respectively . The SPME results were validated by comparison with those obtained with an US Environmental Protection Agency certified extraction method . The SPME method was also successfully applied to the determination of the adsorption behavior of 3-chlorophenol on a natural clay soil and was shown to be suitable for different matrices and phenolic compounds . Application of SPME technique results in a sharp reduction of the extraction times with negligible solvent consumption.

Actas Esp Psiquiatr, 2000 Dec, 28(8), 1 - 4
{Neuroimaging and basic symptoms of schizophrenia}; Lopez-Ibor MI et al.; The complexity of the clinical picture of schizophrenia is an essential feature of the disease that has led to attempts at organizing the symptoms and clinical course into different subtypes or grouping them into symptom constellations . Variations in response to treatment, particularly biological treatment, justifies the effort of differentiation . Various authors have tried to define primary or fundamental symptoms, that are directly related with the underlying abnormality, and secondary symptoms, which involve adaptive or reactive mechanism . Similarly, first-order symptoms, pathognomic symptoms, and second-order symptoms have been described . A constant latent problem in psychopathology is to determine the degree in which first-order symptoms are primary.

Environ Pollut, 2001, 111(2), 273 - 81
Comparison of two biological treatment processes using attached-growth biomass for sanitary landfill leachate treatment; Loukidou MX et al.; The objective of this investigation was to compare two biological systems using attached-growth biomass, for treatment of leachates generated in a typical municipal solid waste sanitary landfill . A moving-bed biofilm process, which is a relatively new type of biological treatment system, has been examined . It is based on the use of small, free-floating polymeric (polyurethane) elements, while biomass is being grown and attached as biofilm on the surface of these porous carriers . A granular activated carbon (GAC) moving-bed biofilm process was also tested . This method combines both physico-chemical and biological removal mechanisms for the removal of pollutants . The presence of GAC offers a suitable porous media, which is able to adsorb both organic matter and ammonia, as well as to provide an appropriate surface onto which biomass can be attached and grown . A laboratory-scale sequencing batch reactor (SBR) was used for the examination of both carriers . The effects of different operation strategies on the efficiency of these biological treatment processes were studied in order to optimize their performance, especially for the removal of nitrogen compounds and of biodegradable organic matter . It has been found that these processes were able to remove nitrogen content almost completely and simultaneously, the removal of organic matter (expressed as BOD5 and COD), color and turbidity were sufficiently achieved.

Bioresour Technol, 2001 Feb, 76(3), 279 - 81
Bioaugmentation and treatment of cephalexin drug-based pharmaceutical effluent in an upflow anaerobic fluidized bed system; Saravanane R et al.; Cephalexin is a constituent of the cephalosporin group used for the treatment of bronchitis and other heart diseases due to its enhanced oral activity . The effluent from these industries contains a disintegrated form of the drug contributing high chemical oxygen demand (COD), volatile solids and organic solvent . A laboratory-scale study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of a fluidized bed reactor operated under anaerobic condition with bioaugmentation to treat the cephalexin containing pharmaceutical factory effluent . The main objective of the study was to show that bioaugmentation could be used to promote biological treatment to applications where conventional operation might be difficult or unfavourable . The effluent, with COD of 12,000-15,000 mg/l, was diluted and studied in single and multiple inoculation experiments with hydraulic retention times of 3-12 h . The removal efficiency after inoculation from an anaerobic sequencing batch reactor was related to influent concentration, mass of inoculum and hydraulic retention time characterized by calculating the initial food to microorganism ratio . Continuous COD removal efficiency attained a maximum value of 88.5% using bioaugmentation through periodic addition of acclimated cells every 2 days with 30-73.2 g of cells from an off-line enricher-reactor.

Nippon Ronen Igakkai Zasshi, 2000 Nov, 37(11), 885 - 8
{Problems and strategies in the treatment of mental disorders in elderly patients with physical illness}; Wada H; There is a high prevalence of mental disorders in the community population of older adults, especially in medical treatment facilities . Therefore, clinicians who treat geriatric patients cannot neglect the psychiatric vulnerability of the elderly population . The fragility of psychological functioning of the elderly is caused not only by psychological contributors, such as various kinds of experiences of loss, but also by biological factors such as decreases in neurotransmitters and in the number of neurons . Another point geriatric clinicians should pay attention to is the powerful mind-body connection in the elderly . Recent psychoneuroimmunological research demonstrates that depression or other types of emotional stress damages the immune system, which can induce some physical diseases . This is especially true for the elderly, who have weakened cell-mediated immune function and are more susceptible to influence by the damaged immune function caused by such psychiatric dysfunction . Also, depression in the elderly can often lead to malnutrition or dehydration, which can induce various kinds of physical illness . On the other hand, physical illness in the elderly can induce depression, because of the psychological vulnerability of the elderly . Due to the strong mind-body connection in the elderly, the availability of psychiatric care is essential . When providing psychiatric care for the elderly, the clinician should attend to all symptoms, not minimizing the importance of biological treatment, while also trying to support the elderly patients psychologically through acceptance of their need for interdependency and respect for their narcissism.

Biotechnol Annu Rev, 2000, 6, 163 - 96
Combined chemical-biological treatment of wastewater containing refractory pollutants; Jeworski M et al.; Biological processes are usually most efficient for degrading pollutants occurring in wastewater . Refractory and toxic compounds contained limit their applicability . In such cases combinations with chemical oxidation processes may improve the overall efficiency and efficacy . Most suitable oxidation processes for combination with biological treatment are wet air oxidation, ozonation, hydrogen peroxide treatment and other advanced oxidation processes . Most effective are OH-radicals produced in all these oxidation processes . Chemical oxidation produces intermediates with usually improved biodegradability . Process combinations may be serial or with recycling between chemical oxidation and biological treatment . Design criteria, control of combined processes and recent applications are reviewed.

Cancer Control, 2000 Nov-Dec, 7(6), 539 - 47
Hemopoietic reserve in the older cancer patient: clinical and economic considerations; Balducci L et al.; BACKGROUND: Older individuals are at increased risk for myelosuppression, the most common complication of cytotoxic chemotherapy . Causes include reduction in hemopoietic stem cell reserve, increased prevalence of chronic diseases, and increased prevalence of anemia . Anemia is an independent risk factor for myelotoxicity, in part because it decreases the volume of distribution of anthracyclines, epipodophyllotoxins, and taxanes and increases the circulating concentration of free drugs . METHODS: The authors review the effects of aging on the hemopoietic system and the consequences of reduced hemopoietic reserve on the safety and cost of chemotherapy . RESULTS: While it is unclear whether the responsiveness of hemopoietic progenitors to physiologic amounts of growth factors is preserved in older individuals, pharmacological doses of these factors stimulate hemopoiesis and mitigate myelosuppression . It is recommended that patients aged 70 and older receiving combination chemotherapy of dose-intensity comparable to CHOP be routinely treated with myelopoietic growth factor . The hemoglobin levels of these patients should be maintained at approximately 12 g/dL with erythropoietin . This treatment may prevent costly complications such as neutropenic infections and functional dependence . CONCLUSIONS: Alternative approaches to the prevention of hemopoietic complications may include more conservative use of growth factors (later initiation of treatment and earlier termination), prophylactic antibiotics in patients at risk for prolonged neutropenia, and biological treatment . Dose-reduction of chemotherapy may lead to inferior outcomes and is not recommended for patients with good functional status.

Expert Opin Investig Drugs, 2000 Jan, 9(1), 103 - 11
Anti-TNF agents in Crohn's disease; Van Assche G et al.; The current treatment of Crohn's disease is limited by a lack of long-term efficacy of corticosteroid therapy and the associated side effects . Biological treatment strategies aimed at neutralising immune responses, offer new opportunities for the management of chronic inflammatory disorders . In Crohn's disease, anti-TNF agents have taken the lead in development of immune-modulating drugs since TNF is known to be a pivotal cytokine in this illness . Different strategies have been explored aimed at inhibiting TNF but at present, the majority of clinical data have been obtained with monoclonal antihuman TNF antibodies . The chimeric anti-TNF IgG1 antibody infliximab (cA2, Remicade, Centocor) has been proven, in multiple clinical trials, to be an effective and well tolerated therapy for the management of acute Crohn's disease and recently this compound has obtained FDA and European Medicines Evaluation Agency approval . Although there are some concerns about immunogenicity of the anti-TNF antibody resulting in the formation of human antichimeric antibodies (HACA) as well as lymphoproliferative disorders, the clinical benefit in the treatment of refractory Crohn's disease is a major therapeutic breakthrough . Further studies will be needed to establish the role and optimal dosing scheme of anti-TNF antibodies in maintenance of remission, monitor safety in the long run and to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative anti-TNF agents such as the TNF receptor/Fc fusion protein etanercept (Enbrel, Immunex) and TNF synthesis inhibitor thalidomide.

Biol Psychiatry, 2000 Oct 1, 48(7), 693 - 701
Basal plasma dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate level: a possible predictor for response to electroconvulsive therapy in depressed psychotic inpatients; Maayan R et al.; BACKGROUND: Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulfate derivative DHEAS are neuroactive steroids . In the brain, they interact with gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA(A)) receptors, which are involved in the regulation of anxiety and mood . The relevance of circulatory neurosteroids to psychiatric disorders and biological treatment is unknown . METHODS: Basal plasma levels of cortisol, DHEA, and DHEAS and the DHEAS-DHEA ratio were determined in 17 psychiatric inpatients before and after six electroconvulsive (ECT) therapy sessions, and all changes were statistically analyzed . For baseline values, 25 healthy individuals served as control subjects . Severity of depression and psychosis in the patients was measured with the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) and the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale, respectively . RESULTS: Both basal and post-ECT levels of cortisol, DHEA, and DHEAS were significantly higher in the patients than in the control subjects . DHEAS levels in responding patients were higher at completion of treatment than at baseline . Patients defined as ECT nonresponders (change in HDRS < 30% from before treatments) exhibited elevated basal DHEAS levels compared with ECT responders . CONCLUSIONS: Markedly elevated basal DHEAS levels (mean + 2 SD of control value) are associated with resistance to ECT and may serve as a potential predictive marker of nonresponsiveness to ECT in depressed patients.

J Indian Med Assoc, 2000 May, 98(5), 237 - 41, 244, 249
Depression in women--issues in evaluation and management; Chandra PS et al.; Depression is probably the most common psychiatric disorder in women . Women are a vulnerable group of depression due to psychological, social and biological factors . Marital relationships, social support, roles and self esteem are factors that contribute to depression . In addition, several periods in women's life relating to the reproductive cycle are periods of increased vulnerability . Management of depression in women should consist of detailed assessment of all the above factors . Drug treatment of depression in women requires an in depth understanding of pharmacokinetics of the drugs used and possible drug interactions . Treatment of depression in women should integrate both psychosocial and biological treatment modalities.

Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2000 Oct, 10(5), 249 - 65
Biological treatment of joint cartilage damage; Tyyni A et al.; The structure and composition of articular cartilage provides unique mechanical properties which effectively dampen and distribute loads during weightbearing . Acute traumatic damage to the articular cartilage destroys the original structure and composition of the articular cartilage and impairs its function . Lesions in articular cartilage can cause patients severe disabling symptoms from the affected joint . These symptoms also run the risk of developing into degenerative osteoarthrosis with time . Unfortunately, articular cartilage does not have any real ability to heal itself after injury . Different treatment methods have been developed in an attempt to restore the function of the injured joint and to prevent further deterioration in the articular cartilage . Some of these methods have produced promising results in clinical studies, but further research is necessary to establish their efficacy and indications for treatment . Today, no controlled studies that compare these different methods are available.

J Chromatogr A, 2000 Aug 11, 889(1-2), 221 - 9
Determination of linear alkylbenzenesulfonates in wastewater treatment plants and coastal waters by automated solid-phase extraction followed by capillary electrophoresis-UV detection and confirmation by capillary electrophoresis-mass spectrometry; Riu J et al.; Linear alkylbenzenesulfonates (LASs) were determined in wastewaters and coastal waters by solid-phase extraction, using two different sample preparation protocols depending on the sample treated, followed by capillary electrophoresis and ultraviolet detection (CE-UV) . The linear range of the proposed method varied from 3 to 53 and from 25 to 495 microg/l, depending on the compound, with a limit of detection of 1 microg/l when 250 ml of coastal water was preconcentrated . {M-H}- ions were used for CE-MS confirmation after quantification by CE-UV . CE-MS diagnostic ions were the same ones used in LC-electrospray (ESI) MS and corresponded to m/z 297, 311, 325 and 339 for C10, C11, C12 and C13 LASs, respectively . LASs were determined in wastewater samples of the influent and effluent of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), two of them using biological treatment with secondary settlement and receiving mainly domestic wastewaters whereas one of the plants was operated with physicochemical treatment and received mainly industrial wastewaters . LASs were also analyzed in two samples from coastal waters of the bay of Cadiz (Spain) receiving untreated domestic effluents . All samples were also analyzed by LC-ESI-MS and the results are compared with the CE-UV method developed in this work . The concentration levels of total LASs varied from 988 to 1309 microg/l in the influents of WWTPs, whereas in the effluents the concentrations varied from 136 to 197 microg/l . The levels of LASs in coastal wastewaters of the bay of Cadiz varied from 739 to 911 microg/l, indicating that the wastewaters discharged into the bay did not undergo any treatment at all.

J Chromatogr A, 2000 Aug 11, 889(1-2), 155 - 76
Assessment of the pollutant elimination efficiency by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and -tandem mass spectrometry . Comparison of conventional and membrane-assisted biological wastewater treatment processes; Li HQ et al.; The elimination efficiency of advanced conventional biological wastewater treatment was compared to membrane-assisted biological wastewater treatment . The sum parameter analyses dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) or substance-specific analyses such as gas chromatography combined with mass spectrometry, flow injection analysis (FIA-MS) and liquid chromatography (LC-MS) in combination with mass or tandem mass spectrometry (MS-MS) were applied to assess elimination of hardly eliminable compounds in both types of wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) . Reduction of DOC and COD in wastewater treatment processes confirmed a favourable elimination efficiency . Substance-specific methods which were applied in addition permitted a qualitative and semi-quantitative assessment of elimination with a visual pattern recognition approach . In order to identify pollutants either the NIST library of electron impact mass spectra for unpolar compounds or the laboratory-made collision-induced dissociation spectra library for polar pollutants was used . To assess elimination efficiency FIA-MS in the selected ion monitoring mode (SIM) besides high selective substance-specific mass spectrometric techniques such as parent ion scans and neutral loss scans were used for quantification . Results proved that membrane-assisted treatment was more effective than advanced biological treatment . In both types of WWTPs predominantly unpolar pollutants were eliminated, while all effluents were dominated by polar compounds of anthropogenic and biogenic origin . These unpolar and polar compounds which had been identified as hardly eliminable are reported about . Quantitative results obtained by FIA-MS, LC-MS and MS-MS for the elimination of alkyl polyglycol ethers, nonylphenol ethoxylates and linear alkylbenzenesulfonic acids from wastewater are presented.

Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom, 2000 Sep 15, 14(17), 1612 - 1618
Determination of 2-substituted benzothiazoles of industrial use from water by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry; Reemtsma T; A method was developed for the analysis of 2-substituted benzothiazoles from wastewaters by reversed-phase liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) . While benzothiazole (BT), 2-amino- (ABT), 2-methyl-, 2-thiocyanomethylthio- and 2-methylthiobenzothiazole were separated with a methanol gradient acidified with formic acid and detected in the positive mode, 2-mercapto- and 2-hydroxybenzothiazole (OHBT) as well as benzothiazole-2-sulfonic acid (BTSA) were separated with the addition of ammonium acetate and detected in the negative ion mode . Detection limits range from 10 ng L(-1) for ABT to 200 ng L(-1) for OHBT after direct injection of 100 microL sample volumes, while BT requires 2.5 microg L(-1) . The method is, thus, suitable for direct analysis in wastewaters . Its application to tannery effluent samples revealed, that, besides a 90-95% elimination of total benzothiazoles, the concentration of OHBT and BTSA increased during the biological treatment .

J Environ Sci Health B, 2000 May, 35(3), 379 - 98
Swine wastewater treatment in a two stage sequencing batch reactor using real-time control; Cheng N et al.; A laboratory scale two-stage sequencing batch reactor (TSSBR) was used to study the effectiveness of pH as a real-time control parameter in swine wastewater treatment . A Ringlace media was inserted into the A/O (Anoxic/Oxic) reactor for bacteria immobilization . The TSSBR was subjected to three levels of organic loading . The pH and ORP (Oxidation Reduction Potential) patterns obtained were consistent with distinct features, enabling the real-time control strategy to effectively set a flexible aeration time pending on influent concentration, hence resulting in flexible cycle time and HRT (Hydraulic Retention Time) for the system . The real-time process ensured a removal efficiency of over 99% and 95%, respectively, for ammonia and TOC (Total Organic Carbon) . For NO3(-)-N and PO4(-3), the run with influent TOC = 4,000 mg/L yielded the most efficient removal of 61% and 95%, respectively . Test results suggest that pH can be a viable tool for on-line real-time control of a biological treatment process.

Psychiatr Pol, 1999 Jul-Aug, 33(4), 587 - 600
{Regional cerebral blood flow in depression}; Jaracz J; In the review article, the results of studies on regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in major depression are presented . Most studies have reported global and regional deficits in cerebral blood flow in major depression as compared to healthy controls . Longitudinal studies show that after recovery from depression an increase of CBF has been observed . The influence of different biological treatment methods on rCBF is also discussed . Findings regarding lateral asymmetries of cerebral function in patients with major depression are inconclusive but the deficit of rCBF is often more pronounced in the left hemisphere . The nature of regional brain flow abnormalities in depression is unclear . Structural changes of the brain and biochemical abnormalities are under consideration.

Encephale, 1999 Nov-Dec, 25(6), 638 - 44
{The concept of supersensitivity psychosis . The particular case of clozapine}; Llorca PM et al.; Neuroleptics are the main biological treatment for psychotic patients . The brutal withdrawal of a neuroleptic treatment may induce an important aggravation of the psychotic symptoms . A few of those relapses may occur very early after the interruption of treatment; they are often associated with a modification of the symptoms and an unfavorable evolution in the course of the illness . Using those clinical observations a few authors have developed the concept of supersensitivity psychosis to explain those kinds of relapses and to formulate hypothesis about tolerance and resistance to neuroleptics . They focus on the possible correlation between supersensitivity psychosis and tardive dyskinesia . We report three cases of a dramatic aggravation of the psychotic symptomatology following the withdrawal of clozapine in three schizophrenic patients resistant to classical neuroleptic treatment . According to the clinical data and to the physiopathological hypothesis, the concept of supersensitivity psychosis can have implications in the therapeutic management of resistant schizophrenic patients.

Cas Lek Cesk, 1999 Oct 20, 138(18), 552 - 6
{Treatment of Crohn's disease}; Kocian J et al.; Dietetic treatment of Crohn's disease has the objective to calm down the gut either by a polymeric or elemental diet . In superacute conditions also total parenteral nutrition can be used . In the quiescent stage the patient must have an adequate energy intake and a low-residue (low-fibre) diet . As to medication, sulfasalazine which has some side-effects is abandoned and 5-ASA (5-aminosalicylic acid) preparations are used, either by the oral route or in enemas, while 4-ASA is little used in this country and is known as PAS . The administration of corticoids which also have side-effects will be abandoned in favour of so-called rapidly metabolized corticoids (Tixocortol pivalate, beclomethasone, budenoside and fluticasone) by the oral route and in enemas and foams . As antimicrobial treatment ciprofloxacine is used combined with metronidazole . As to immunosuppressive drugs azathioprine, 6-mercaptopurine, cyclosporin A, cyclophosphamide and methotrexate are tested . A hope for the future is so-called biological treatment (anticytokines, monoclonal antibodies against cytokines, against CD4+ TNF, interleukines IL-10 and 11, immunoglobulin; plasmapheresis is also tested) . Treatment must be individual and surgery as late as possible, only in case of complications, and should be very sparing, stenoses should be treated by plastic operations of strictures.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1999 Dec, 65(12), 5279 - 84
Removal of mercury from chloralkali electrolysis wastewater by a mercury-resistant Pseudomonas putida strain; von Canstein H et al.; A mercury-resistant bacterial strain which is able to reduce ionic mercury to metallic mercury was used to remediate in laboratory columns mercury-containing wastewater produced during electrolytic production of chlorine . Factory effluents from several chloralkali plants in Europe were analyzed, and these effluents contained total mercury concentrations between 1.6 and 7.6 mg/liter and high chloride concentrations (up to 25 g/liter) and had pH values which were either acidic (pH 2.4) or alkaline (pH 13.0) . A mercury-resistant bacterial strain, Pseudomonas putida Spi3, was isolated from polluted river sediments . Biofilms of P . putida Spi3 were grown on porous carrier material in laboratory column bioreactors . The bioreactors were continuously fed with sterile synthetic model wastewater or nonsterile, neutralized, aerated chloralkali wastewater . We found that sodium chloride concentrations up to 24 g/liter did not inhibit microbial mercury retention and that mercury concentrations up to 7 mg/liter could be treated with the bacterial biofilm with no loss of activity . When wastewater samples from three different chloralkali plants in Europe were used, levels of mercury retention efficiency between 90 and 98% were obtained . Thus, microbial mercury removal is a potential biological treatment for chloralkali electrolysis wastewater.

Chemosphere, 1999 Nov, 39(12), 2107 - 15
Decolorization and biodegradability of photocatalytic treated azo dyes and wool textile wastewater; Hu C et al.; The photodegradation and biodegradability have been investigated for four non-biodegradable commercial azo dyes, Reactive YellowKD-3G, Reactive Red 15, Reactive Red 24, Cationic Blue X-GRL, an indicator . Methyl Orange, and one industrial wool textile wastewater, using TiO2 suspensions irradiated with a medium pressure mercury lamp . The color removal of dyes solution and dyeing wastewater reached to above 90% within 20-30 min . of photocatalytic treatment . Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) was found to increase, while chemical oxygen demand (COD), total organic carbon (TOC) decreased, so that the ratio of BOD5/COD of the wastewater increased from original zero up to 0.75 . The result implies that photocatalytic oxidation enhanced the biodegradability of the dye-containing wastewater and therefore relationship between decolorization and biodegradability exists . When the color disappeared completely, the wastewater biodegraded normally and could be discharged for further treatment . The experimental results demonstrate that it is possible to combine photocatalysis with conventional biological treatment for the remedy of wastewater containing generally non-biodegradable azo dyes.

Ital J Gastroenterol Hepatol, 1999 Aug-Sep, 31(6), 519 - 20
Infliximab (Remicade), a new biological treatment for Crohn's disease; D'Haens GR; Tumour necrosis factor plays a pivotal role in Crohn's disease intestinal inflammation . Blocking this cytokine by means of the chimeric monoclonal antibody infliximab has led to a rapid reduction in mucosal inflammation . More than 65% of refractory Crohn's disease patients treated with infliximab showed a remarkable improvement in their symptoms, which was maintained by repeated infusions every 2 months up to 44 weeks . Patients with draining enterocutaneous fistulae also benefited from infliximab treatment, with more than 60% of fistulae healed after 3 infusions . Adverse events following infliximab infusions were mild and transient, occurring with the same frequency in infliximab and placebo-treated patients . In conclusion, infliximab appears to offer a promising novel therapeutic agent for refractory and fistulizing Crohn's disease . Long-term risks and benefits remain to be determined.

FEMS Microbiol Ecol, 1999 Dec 1, 30(4), 301 - 311
Adaptation and population dynamics of Azotobacter vinelandii during aerobic biological treatment of olive-mill wastewater; Ehaliotis C et al.; Olive-mill wastewater (OMW) has a high organic and polyphenol content and is resistant to biodegradation . Its disposal leads to a major environmental pollution problem in the Mediterranean basin . The detoxification of OMW following inoculation with Azotobacter vinelandii (strain A) was performed for two successive 5-day-period cycles in an aerobic, biowheel-type reactor, under non-sterile conditions . The phytotoxicity of the processed product was reduced by over 90% at the end of both cycles . To exclusively monitor the A . vinelandii population in the reactor a most probable number-PCR approach was employed and applied daily to serial dilutions of total DNA extracted from reactor samples . PCR sensitivity was independent of the presence of OMW or non-target DNA . The A . vinelandii population dynamics were successfully monitored, showing an initial adaptation period, followed by a sharp population maximum on the fourth day of both cycles (1.6x10(8) and 9.6x10(7) cells ml(-1) respectively), after a major phytotoxicity decline . N(2) fixation rates were estimated using the acetylene reduction assay and reached a peak during the first 1-2 days of each cycle (36 and 29 nmol C(2)H(2) ml(-1) h(-1) respectively) . The data are consistent with an initial physiological adaptation phase, where the presence of phenolic compounds limits A . vinelandii growth but stimulates N(2) fixation, followed by a rapid growth phase as phytotoxicity declines.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1999 Nov, 65(11), 4957 - 66
Impacts of the reduction of nutrient levels on bacterial water quality in distribution systems; Volk CJ et al.; This study evaluated the impacts of reducing nutrient levels on bacterial water quality in drinking water . Two American Water System facilities (sites NJ102a and IN610) with histories of coliform problems were involved, and each water utility received two pilot distribution systems (annular reactors) . One reactor simulated the conventional treatment conditions (control), while the other reactor was used to assess the effect of biological filtration and subsequent reduced biodegradable organic matter levels on suspended (water column) and biofilm bacterial concentrations in the distribution systems . Biodegradable organic matter levels were reduced approximately by half after biological treatment . For site NJ102a, the geometric mean of the assimilable organic carbon concentrations was 217 microg/liter in the plant effluent and 91 microg/liter after biological filtration . For both sites, plant effluent biodegradable dissolved organic carbon levels averaged 0.45 mg/liter, versus 0.19 to 0.22 mg/liter following biological treatment . Biological treatment improved the stability of free chlorine residuals, while it had little effect on chloramine consumption patterns . High bacterial levels from the biological filters resulted in higher bacterial concentrations entering the test reactors than entering the control reactors . On average, biofilms in the model systems were reduced by 1 log unit (from 1.4 x 10(5) to 1.4 x 10(4) CFU/cm(2)) and 0.5-log unit (from 2.7 x 10(5) to 7.8 x 10(4) CFU/cm(2)) by biological treatment at sites NJ102a and IN610, respectively . Interestingly, it required several months of biological treatment before there was an observable impact on bacterial water quality in the system, suggesting that the effect of the treatment change was influenced by other factors (i.e., pipe conditions or disinfection, etc.).

Biotechnol Prog, 1999 Oct 1, 15(5), 958 - 962
Stress Survival of a Genetically Engineered Pseudomonas in Soil Slurries: Cytochrome P-450cam-Catalyzed Dehalogenation of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons; Rattan K et al.; Biological treatment of hazardous chemical wastes has potential as an effective, practical, and economically viable process in above the ground treatment systems that consist of both genetically engineered microorganisms (GEMs) and bioreactors with process control instruments to create ideal conditions for biodegradation . A strain of Pseudomonas putida coexpressing cytochrome P-450cam and luciferase (lux) that provides both the reductive detoxification potential of the hemoprotein and a mechanism for its reduction in the absence of "normal" P-450 redox partners was evaluated for its ability to survive and remain metabolically competent under nutrient stress in soil slurry microcosms . More than 74% of the cells of engineered Pseudomonas were culturable after 7 days of multiple nutrient (C,N,P) starvation . The diagnostic luminescence and carbon monoxide-difference spectra for the two engineered traits could be detected in a significant fraction of the surviving population . The GEM could be revived after repeated desiccation and starvation using Luria broth, benzoate, or citrate as nutrients . Soil slurries inoculated with the GEM transformed hexachloroethane (HCE) to tetrachloroethylene (tetraCE) 8-10-fold faster than uninoculated slurries . The GEM also transformed the insecticide, gamma-HCH (gamma-3,4,5,6-hexachlorocyclhexene), to gamma-3,4,5,6-tetrachlorocyclohexene (gammatetraCH) in soil slurries under subatmospheric conditions . These results indicate that GEMs can be constructed with broad substrate range detoxification catalysts such as cytochrome P-450 for remediation.

Environ Manage, 1999 Nov, 24(4), 517 - 528
Decontamination of Fly Ash and Used Lime from Municipal Waste Incinerator Using Thiobacillus ferrooxidans; Mercier G et al.; / The purification of incinerator gases produces large quantities of fly ash and used lime {a combination referred to as air pollution control residues (APCR)}, both of which contain elevated levels of metals . This paper describes biological solubilization assays utilizing Thiobacillus ferrooxidans to leach metals from APCR to render them nonhazardous . The multistage solubilization process involves an alkaline aqueous phase that removes some Pb . In the second phase, the APCR are acidified to pH 4 with H(2)SO(4), then inoculated with a bacterial culture that has been acclimated in the presence of 2% Fe (FeCl(3)) . Several rinses and decantings achieve removal of the leachable metals . The final step involves the addition of Ca(H(2)PO(4))(2) and an increase in the treatment pH prior to the final filtration . Viability of thiobacilli in APCR was poor . Despite this problem, the removal of Pb was 35.9%, 46.0%, and 68.7% (for APCR containing 1594, 3026, and 5038 mg Pb/kg, respectively), which demonstrates greater metal removal with increased APCR contamination . Zn removal varied from 68.2% (8273 mg Zn/kg APCR) to 79.5% (16,873 mg Zn/kg APCR), which was positively correlated to the level of residue contamination, whereas Cu was removed in the proportions of 26.9% (495 mg Cu/kg APCR) to 68.2% (465 mg Cu/kg APCR) . Cadmium removal appeared to be independent of the level of Cd in the APCR; Cd was removed to the greatest degree, with a variation of 92.0% (129 mg Cd/kg APCR) to 94.7% (267 mg Cd/kg APCR) . The treated APCR were tested using four different leachate tests . The APCR released 43 mg Pb/liter during contact with water, and 7.40 mg Cd/liter during TCLP {the toxicity characterization leaching procedure of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA)} . After biological treatment, the leachate from TCLP was within the acceptance criteria of the US EPA, if the pH of the APCR was increased to pH 5 after the biological treatment . In the case of the Transport Canada leaching test, a betterment of the process is required in order to satisfy the stringent regulatory level of 0.5 mg Cd/liter (0.68 and 0.57 mg/liter).KEY WORDS: Thiobacilli; Metals removal; Fly ash; Incinerator; Hazardous waste.http://link.springer-ny.com/link/service/journals/00267/bibs/24n4p517.html</HEA

Strahlenther Onkol, 1999 Jun, 175 Suppl 2, 12 - 4
Treatment planning for light ions: how to take into account relative biological effectiveness (RBE); Jakel O et al.; A new treatment planning program was developed for the heavy ion therapy facility at GSI, which is tailored to the special needs for an active beam delivery using a magnetic raster scanner . It also includes a biological model for the estimation of biological effective dose for carbon ions and realizes a fully biological treatment planning . Biological effective dose distributions and RBE maps can be displayed and assessed from the graphical user interface.

Rev Prat, 1999 Apr 1, 49(7), 733 - 8
{Biological treatment of depression}; Colonna L; Pharmacotherapy remains the main medical means of treating depression, and constant progress during recent years has led to the present availability of many effective and well tolerated drugs . Some essential conditions should be present for optimum therapeutic efficacy . The appropriate indications should be precisely defined . The most active and best tolerated product should be chosen for each patient . The medical treatment should be associated with psychotherapy . Finally, the patient should be followed-up with regard to restoration of his relations with his family, social and professional groups . Much progress remains to be made . The most important are better knowledge of the mechanisms of action of antidepressants and of the pathophysiopsychological mechanisms of depression . Some rare cases of very severe depression, either unresponsive to medical treatment or when such treatment is contraindicated, still require the use of electroconvulsive therapy . Light therapy is used in seasonal affective disorder.

J Appl Microbiol, 1999 Apr, 86(4), 723 - 9
Occurrence and levels of phages proposed as surrogate indicators of enteric viruses in different types of sludges; Lasobras J et al.; A method based on the treatment of sludge with beef extract recovered, with similar efficiency, the three groups of bacteriophages studied from different kinds of sludges . The three groups of bacteriophages were found in high numbers in the different sludge types, the highest value being that of somatic coliphages in primary sludge of a biological treatment plant (1.1 x 10(5) pfu g-1) and the lowest being that of Bacteroides fragilis phages (110 pfu g-1) in de-watered, anaerobically, mesophilically-digested sludge . All phages studied accumulated in the sludges . In primary and activated sludges, all three types accumulated similarly but in lime-treated sludge and de-watered, anaerobically, mesophilically-digested sludge, the relative proportion of F-specific bacteriophages decreased significantly with respect to somatic coliphages and bacteriophages infecting B . fragilis . All phages survived successfully in stored sludge, depending on the temperature, and again, F-specific bacteriophages survived less successfully than the others.

Acta Medica (Hradec Kralove) Suppl, 1997, 40(2), 119 - 68
{Physical, chemical and biological aspects of treatment of pathological changes in hard dental tissues}; Novak L et al.; The methods of preparation of dental tissues, treatment of the dentine wound and filling materials, which replace the hard dental tissues, are discussed to evaluate their features in toward the requirements for biological harmlessness . Based on the literature data, their own clinical and practical experiences, the authors have found that none of the currently used preparation methods as well as supports or filling materials are fulfilling the biological treatment requirements . Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of this fact, and adjust the medical procedures in such a way to avoid the harmful effects or to suppress then as much as possible until the ideal preparation procedures and filling materials will be developed.

Biotechnol Bioeng, 1999 May 20, 63(4), 431 - 41
Membrane process for biological treatment of contaminated gas streams; Ergas SJ et al.; A hollow fiber membrane bioreactor was investigated for control of air emissions of biodegradable volatile organic compounds (VOCs) . In the membrane bioreactor, gases containing VOCs pass through the lumen of microporous hydrophobic hollow fiber membranes . Soluble compounds diffuse through the membrane pores and partition into a VOC degrading biofilm . The hollow fiber membranes serve as a support for the microbial population and provide a large surface area for VOC and oxygen mass transfer . Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of toluene loading rate, gas residence time, and liquid phase turbulence on toluene removal in a laboratory-scale membrane bioreactor . Initial acclimation of the microbial culture to toluene occurred over a period of nine days, after which a 70% removal efficiency was achieved at an inlet toluene concentration of 200 ppm and a gas residence time of 1.8 s (elimination capacity of 20 g m-3 min-1) . At higher toluene loading rates, a maximum elimination capacity of 42 g m-3 min-1 was observed . In the absence of a biofilm (abiotic operation), mass transfer rates were found to increase with increasing liquid recirculation rates . Abiotic mass transfer coefficients could be estimated using a correlation of dimensionless parameters developed for heat transfer . Liquid phase recirculation rate had no effect on toluene removal when the biofilm was present, however . Three models of the reactor were created: a numeric model, a first-order flat sheet model, and a zero-order flat sheet model . Only the numeric model fit the data well, although removal predicted as a function of gas residence time disagreed slightly with that observed . A modification in the model to account for membrane phase resistance resulted in an underprediction of removal . Sensitivity analysis of the numeric model indicated that removal was a strong function of the liquid phase biomass density and biofilm diffusion coefficient, with diffusion rates below 10(-9) m2 s-1 resulting in decreased removal rates .

Biodegradation, 1998, 9(3-4), 213 - 24
Anaerobic treatment of sulphate-rich wastewaters; Hulshoff Pol LW et al.; Until recently, biological treatment of sulphate-rich wastewater was rather unpopular because of the production of H2S under anaerobic conditions . Gaseous and dissolved sulphides cause physical-chemical (corrosion, odour, increased effluent chemical oxygen demand) or biological (toxicity) constraints, which may lead to process failure . Anaerobic treatment of sulphate-rich wastewater can nevertheless be applied successfully provided a proper treatment strategy is selected . The strategies currently available are discussed in relation to the aim of the treatment: i) removal of organic matter, ii) removal of sulphate or iii) removal of both . Also a whole spectrum of new biotechnological applications (removal of organic chemical oxygen demand, sulphur, nitrogen and heavy metals), recently developed based on a better insight in sulphur transformations, are discussed.

Biotechnol Prog, 1999 Jan-Feb, 15(1), 74 - 80
Simultaneous biodegradation of benzene, toluene, and p-xylene in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor: concept demonstration and practical application; Collins LD et al.; In this work, a mixture of benzene, toluene, and p-xylene was simultaneously biodegraded by Pseudomonas sp . ATCC 55595 in a two-phase partitioning bioreactor . This bioreactor consisted of a 1-L cell-containing aqueous medium phase and a 500-mL immiscible organic phase . The organic solvent systematically selected for use in the bioreactor was Adol 85 NF, an industrial-grade, biocompatible solvent . In the first of three experiments, the organic phase was loaded with 2.0 g of benzene, 10.15 g of toluene, and 2.1 g of p-xylene, which partitioned into the aqueous phase at concentrations of 25, 50, and 8 mg/L, respectively . The system ultimately biodegraded all of the substrates within 144 h . During the rapid growth phase of this fermentation, the cells were oxygen-limited . This fermentation was therefore repeated using an enriched air supply to remove the oxygen limitation . The use of enriched air ultimately reduced the length of the fermentation to 108 h, thereby improving the overall volumetric consumption rates . Finally, 500 mL of Adol were used to recover 2.0 g of benzene, 10.15 g of toluene, and 2.1 g of p-xylene from silica sand that was contaminated as part of a simulated soil "spill" . The solvent washing procedure was able to recover greater than 99% of each compound from the contaminated soil . The Adol was then transferred to the two-phase bioreactor to permit biological treatment of the BTX contaminants . This process was repeated when the initial BTX load had been consumed almost to exhaustion, and the solvent was able to recover the contaminants at greater than 99% efficiency once again . The system was ultimately able to degrade 4.0 g of benzene, 20.2 g of toluene, and 4.2 g of p-xylene within 144 h . These results represent an unprecedented level of BTX degradation and illustrate a potential practical application for this novel biotechnology.

Appl Microbiol Biotechnol, 1998 Dec, 50(6), 633 - 57
Bacterial dehalogenation; Fetzner S; Halogenated organic compounds are produced industrially in large quantities and represent an important class of environmental pollutants . However, an abundance of haloorganic compounds is also produced naturally . Bacteria have evolved several strategies for the enzyme-catalyzed dehalogenation and degradation of both haloaliphatic and haloaromatic compounds: (i) Oxidative dehalogenation is the result of mono- or dioxygenase-catalyzed, co-metabolic or metabolic reactions . (ii) In dehydrohalogenase-catalyzed dehalogenation, halide elimination leads to the formation of a double bond . (iii) Substitutive dehalogenation in most cases is a hydrolytic process, catalyzed by halidohydrolases, but there also is a "thiolytic" mechanism with glutathione as cosubstrate . Dehalogenation by halohydrin hydrogen-halide lyases is the result of an intramolecular substitution reaction . (iv) A distinct dechlorination mechanism involves methyl transfer from chloromethane onto tetrahydrofolate . (v) Reductive dehalogenations are co-metabolic processes, or they are specific reactions involved in substrate utilization (carbon metabolism), or reductive dehalogenation is coupled to energy conservation: some anaerobic bacteria use a specific haloorganic compound as electron acceptor of a respiratory process . This review discusses the mechanisms of enzyme-catalyzed dehalogenation reactions, describes some pathways of the bacterial degradation of haloorganic compounds, and indicates some trends in the biological treatment of organohalogen-polluted air, groundwater, soil, and sediments.

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi, 1997 Jun, 77(6), 434 - 8
{Construction, expression and activity of a single chain antibody to gastric cancer cells}; Shou C et al.; OBJECTIVE: To construct single chain antibody from McAb 3H11, which has been successfully used in clinical radioimmunoimage, for its widel application in biological treatment of human cancer . METHOD: Reversetranscription and polymerize chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used to clone the V region genes of McAb 3H11 (VH, VL) . The cloned VH and VL were sequenced and recombined through a (Gly4Ser) 3 linker . The constructed single chain antibody gene was joined with glutathione-S-transferase gene (gst) and its fusion proteins (GS3H11) were expressed in E . coli . The activity of GS3H11 was characterized with competition experiments after its denature and renature treatment . RESULTS: The recombinant GS3H11 was highly produced in inclusion bodies and the activity was recovered after being renatured . The competition experiments showed that GS3H11 could competitively inhibit the McAb 3H11 binding to gastric tumor cells MGC803 . The inhibition was complete when the molecular ratio of GS3H11 to McAb 3H11 reached to 30:1 . However, the GS3H11 did not interfere in binding of McAb PD4 and 3G9 to MGC803 . CONCLUSION: The specific binding activity of McAb 3H11 is retained in single chain antibody which is potentially useful for therapeutic application.

Biomed Pharmacother, 1998, 52(3), 97 - 100
Possible respect of patient quality of life--without reducing survival expectancy--in breast cancer treatment; Mathe G; The treatment of breast cancer by some doctors in all countries and all in some does not concern itself with quality of life considerations . Partial breast cancer surgery is possible in cases of neither voluminous nor central tumors, and surgery can also be partial after pre-surgical chemotherapy reduction . The apoptotic test for cytostatic choice should assist in obviating toxicities which are minor for the physician, i.e., alopecia, cardiac lesion, etc, but which are major for the patient . Cytostatics will be useless in treatment if they are not apoptogenic . Hormonal treatment may, when there are estrogen receptors involved, be advantageously combined with chemotherapy . In estrogen receptors absence, growth factor receptors should be considered, as there is a possible indication of somatostatin analogs (instead of hormones, which are useless) . Quality of life is mainly determined by the partial character of the surgery, hence by the volume and localization of the tumor . Cancer screening allows diagnosis when tumors are smaller as opposed to those which are the object of spontaneous diagnosis . We even propose screening of dysplasias and their biological treatment between 40 and 50 years--hormonal if the specific cells carry hormone receptors, and based on somatostatin analogs if they carry growth factor receptors.

Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys, 1998 Aug 1, 42(1), 137 - 41
A brain tumor dose escalation protocol based on effective dose equivalence to prior experience; Ten Haken RK et al.; PURPOSE: The current study describes the design of a dose escalation protocol for conformal irradiation of primary brain tumors that preserves the safe experience of a previous, sequential dose escalation scheme while enabling the delivery of substantially higher effective doses to a central target volume . METHODS AND MATERIALS: Normalized isoeffective composite dose distributions were formed for 20 patients treated on the original protocol (which specified three progressively smaller planning target volumes {PTVs}) using the linear quadratic model (here corrected to equivalent 2 Gy fractions using alpha/beta=10 Gy) . These distributions were investigated and a new protocol was designed to preserve a similar level of efficacy and lack of toxicity for the outer volumes, but allowing a higher dose to the inner PTV . Treatment plans were then investigated to determine if the objectives of the new protocol were achievable . In particular, plans that simultaneously achieved all biological treatment planning objectives (all fields treated each day) were investigated . Finally, the success of the protocol design was demonstrated by analysis of the effective dose distributions of 10 patients treated using the new protocol . RESULTS: The composite normalized isoeffective minimum doses to the outer PTVs (PTV3 and PTV2) in the original protocol were close to 60 Gy and 75 Gy, respectively, and these values are specified as the minimum doses to those volumes for the new protocol . Homogeneity requirements to maintain equivalence for the outer target volume domains are: not more than 25% of {PTV3 exclusive of PTV2} >75 Gy; and not more than 50% of {PTV2 exclusive of PTV1} >85 Gy . Treatment plans using multiple noncoplanar arrangements of beams and static intensity modulation treat all volumes at each session . DVHs of the normalized isoeffective dose distributions reveal the equivalence of the new protocol plans to the sequential plans in the previous protocol as well as the ability to achieve a higher dose of 90 Gy to the isocenter of PTV1 (+/-5% homogeneity required) . CONCLUSION: The ability to incorporate past experience through use of the linear quadratic model in the design of a new dose escalation protocol is demonstrated.

J Biotechnol, 1998 Jun 30, 62(2), 105 - 18
Ethene removal from gas by recycling a water-immiscible solvent through a packed absorber and a bioreactor; Cesario MT et al.; Hydrophobic pollutants in waste gases are difficult to remove with the conventional biological treatment techniques because of the slow gas/water mass transfer rate . A two-stage system with a water-immiscible solvent as intermediate liquid was developed . This system consisted of a packed absorber for transfer of the model pollutant, ethene, from gas to solvent and a stirred-tank reactor (mixer) for solvent/water transfer and subsequent degradation by Mycobacterium parafortuitum . The solvent FC40, a perfluorocarbon, was recycled between these two compartments . The stability of the system was shown during a run of 10 days . The elimination efficiency was found to be a function of the solvent flow: 9% and 15% elimination were obtained at solvent flows of 6 x 10(-8) m3.s-1 and 11.3 x 10(-8) m3.s-1, respectively . Ethene removal remained constant at increasing solvent hold-ups up to 50% (v/v) . In spite of the low elimination efficiencies caused by an inefficient use of the column, the feasibility of the system to remove ethene has been demonstrated . The system's performance was described by a steady-state mathematical model . Simulated ethene removal efficiencies agreed well with the experimental data . Based on this, the model was used to optimise the dimensions and operating conditions . Furthermore, the model was used to compare the performance of the combined system (PA/MS) with the performance of a similar system without solvent . It was found that the use of solvent as intermediate liquid can improve substantially the removal efficiency of hydrophobic gaseous pollutants compared with the system without solvent . This is dependent however, on the solubility of the pollutant in the solvent, on the dimensions of the system and on the operating conditions.

Chemosphere, 1998 Aug, 37(3), 487 - 94
Pretreatment and biodegradability enhancement of DSD acid manufacturing wastewater; Yu G et al.; Two advanced oxidation processes, Fenton's reagent oxidation and ozonation, were used for pretreatment of a 4,4'-diaminostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DSD-acid) manufacturing wastewater on a laboratory scale . The results showed that both methods are suitable for partial removal of chemical oxygen demand (COD) and color as well as the enhancement of biodegradability of DSD-acid manufacturing wastewater before the conventional biological treatment . Fenton's reagent oxidation by 9.0 g/L H2O2 and 150 mg/L Fe2+ and ozonation by 7.5 g/L O3 led to an improved biodegradability (BOD5/COD = 0.3) . Fenton's reagent oxidation in combination with Fe3+ coagulation has shown to effectively remove COD and color . About 90% of COD and 95% of color removals were obtained at the optimum condition, oxidation by 150 mg/L Fe2+ and 2 g/L H2O2, followed by two-stage coagulation with 5 g/L and 2 g/L FeCl3, respectively.

Nat Biotechnol, 1996 Mar, 14(3), 320 - 2
Metabolism of nitrate esters by a consortium of two bacteria; Ramos JL et al.; The products of condensation of organic alcohols and nitric acid are nitrate esters with the general structure C-O-NO2 . These products are widely employed as vasodilators and explosives, and are true xenobiotic compounds, as they do not occur in nature . We have isolated and characterized a consortium of two microorganisms, Arthrobacter ilicis and Agrobacterium radiobacter, that mineralized recalcitrant ethylene glycol dinitrate . The Arthrobacter strain was the actual degrading microorganism, although the second microbe facilitated mineralization . The biodegradation of ethylene glycol dinitrate by A . ilicis involved the progressive elimination of the nitro groups from the organic molecule to generate ethylene glycol, which was then mineralized . Waters polluted with ethylene glycol dinitrate have been shown amenable to biological treatment in a pilot plant with wastewaters generated during the synthesis of the chemical in a factory.

Rocz Akad Med Bialymst, 1997, 42(1), 168 - 76
Intravital treatment of the pulp with simultaneous laser biostimulation; Dabrowska E et al.; The aim of the study was clinical and radiological evaluation of the pulp treatment using direct capping and amputation under anaesthesia with simultaneous laser biostimulation . Thirty procedures were performed using laser and thirty-six without it . In all cases non-setting Ca(OH)2 was applied as a biological dressing . The results obtained provide justification for the application of laser biostimulation to biological treatment of the pulp.

Psychiatr Pol, 1997 Sep-Oct, 31(5), 625 - 35
{Family burden of patients receiving inpatient treatment or alternative forms of psychiatric care}; Konieczynska Z et al.; Professionals working with chronic patients are usually aware of vast deficitis in what is called in the literature "natural support networks" . The deficits generally increase over time, as is the case with broadly defined social skills . Although the efficacy of biological treatment was similar in all the three forms of care, nevertheless, patients and their families, when left without psychotherapeutic support provided to them by the day hospital or community treatment team, at one-year follow-up indicated lack of any satisfactory improvement in many dimensions of their functioning, and in some aspects-even a progressive deterioration.

Neoplasma, 1997, 44(5), 308 - 13
Androgen level variations, clinical response to LHRH agonists and changes in the quality of life subscales in metastatic prostate cancer--speculations about possible role of the monoamine system; Popov I et al.; The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of goserelin-acetat (Zoladex) on testosterone suppression, to compare achieved suppression with clinical effects in patients with prostate cancer with bone metastases and consequent painful syndrome, to study the behavior of adiol during treatment and to assess life quality with emphases on the physical and psychological domain in relation to clinical and biological treatment effects . Fifteen patients were treated by Zoladex in one dose every 28 days, and followed-up for 12 months . All patients had several metastatic localizations in the bones, initial high prostate specific antigen (PSA), and high acid (AP) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) . PSA, testosterone, adiol (delta-5-androstenediol), luteinizing hormone (LH), foliculostimulating hormone (FSH), ALP and AP were also measured before every cycle . For evaluation of the life quality Rotterdam Symptom Checklist was used . Clinical progression was not registered during follow-up, with drop of PSA, ALP and AP . Testosterone and adiol displayed mainly inverse trends during treatment . The complete testosterone suppression was never achieved . It seems that Zoladex has quite different influence on LH and FSH, as levels of those hormones have shown opposite trend . Some of the observed hormonal effects could be attributed to stimulation of the monoamine system . Suppression of LH level provoked by administration of LHRH agonists increases level of dopamine in hypothalamus which inhibits releasing of its hormones . By inhibition of corticotropic releasing factor and ACTH, and by its influence on adrenal gland, we could explain drop of adiol levels in the first months of administration of LHRH agonists . Testosterone increase and adiol drop in the first months, and adiol increase following testosterone level drop in the fourth to eight month, may be explained by negative feed back mechanism between different androgens which could be stimulated or provoked by LHRH therapy . The question of effects which are results of LHRH agonists modulation of the monoamine system and consequent activation of other central mechanisms of hormonal regulation is still open . Patients' quality of life under therapy was improved for about 30% in psychological and functional domains . There were no significant changes on physical subscale, during treatment . It seems that the obtained positive psychological treatment effect is not only a consequence of pain decrease, but it could be the result of the change in the level of monoamines in CNS under Zoladex.

Rev Argent Microbiol, 1997 Oct-Dec, 29(4), 215 - 8
{Biodegradation of a lipid-rich effluent by native bacteria}; Giulietti AL et al.; From samples of effluent derived from a biological treatment plant of a mayonnaise and margarine producing factory, several bacteria strains presenting high lipolytic activities were isolated . The strain having the highest activity was used for treating a typical final effluent and the results obtained were compared with those achieved with Yarrowia lipolytica and Saccharomycopsis lipolytica strains . The isolated strain showed the highest specific capacity for reducing chemical oxygen demand (COD).

Enzyme Microb Technol, 1998 Feb 15, 22(3), 185 - 91
Biodegradation of triphenylmethane dyes; Azmi W et al.; Biodegradation of triphenylmethane dyes by bacteria, actinomycetes, yeasts, and fungi are discussed in detail . The disadvantages of physical and chemical treatment processes of dye wastewater are also discussed . Biological treatment processes have many advantages over the chemical and physical treatment processes such as possibility of degradation of dye molecules to carbon dioxide and water and formation of less sludge in addition to being environmentally friendly . This group of dyes is toxic depending on the concentration used . Toxicity of triphenylmethane dyes is discussed with respect to different organisms . Some aspects of biodegradative products of this group of dyes are also mentioned.

Zentralbl Hyg Umweltmed, 1996 Jul, 198(6), 552 - 66
Evaluation of disinfection treatment systems for municipal wastewater reclamation and reuse; Legnani PP et al.; The efficiency of a number of tertiary treatment systems--filtration, ozonation, chlorination with low levels (TRC < 0.2 ppm) and high levels (TRC < 1 ppm) of residual chlorine--in the disinfection of secondary effluent was assessed in a purification plant treating mixed sewage of municipal (83%) and industrial mainly textile origin (17%) . Maximum purification effect was observed when, following secondary treatment with biological oxidation, the sewage was submitted to combined filtration--ozonation treatment (reduction in bacterial indicators of from 4.9 to 7.2 log10 units) or with chlorination with high levels of residual chlorine (reduction in the bacterial indicators of between 2.8 and 4.6 log10 units) . However, only ozonation reduced viral indicators with respect to inflow sewage by more than 3 log10 units, the limit considered acceptable for a biological treatment system with supplementary tertiary disinfection treatment . Ozonation however did not complete control all the biological forms present in the sewage, in particular the viruses, present in 36% of ozonized samples at concentrations of from 1 to 480 PFU/100 mL . Ozonation and high-concentration chlorination do not seem to be unfavorably influenced by wastes from laundry and deyng processing; achieving a complete decolorization of the treated effluent, they prove to the suitable treatments for mixed sewage of municipal and industrial mainly textile origin.

Can J Microbiol, 1997 Jul, 43(7), 599 - 611
Microbiology and biodegradation of resin acids in pulp mill effluents: a minireview; Liss SN et al.; Resin acids, a group of diterpenoid carboxylic acids present mainly in softwood species, are present in many pulp mill effluents and toxic to fish in recipient waters . They are considered to be readily biodegradable . However, their removal across biological treatment systems has been shown to vary . Recent studies indicate that natural resin acids and transformation products may accumulate in sediments and pose acute and chronic toxicity to fish . Several resin acid biotransformation compounds have also been shown to bioaccumulate and to be more resistant to biodegradation than the original material . Until recently, the microbiology of resin-acid degradation has received only scant attention . Although wood-inhabiting fungi have been shown to decrease the level of resin present in wood, there is no conclusive evidence that fungi can completely degrade these compounds . In contrast, a number of bacterial isolates have recently been described which are able to utilize dehydroabietic or isopimaric acids as their sole carbon source . There appears to be an unusually high degree of substrate specificity with respect of the utilization of abietane congeners and the presence of substituents . Pimaranes do not appear to be attacked to the same extent as the abietanes . This paper reviews the occurrence, chemistry, toxicity, and biodegradation of resin acids in relation to the biological treatment of pulp and paper mill effluents.

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol, 1997 May, 32(4), 367 - 75
Evaluation of bleached kraft mill process water using Microtox(R), Ceriodaphnia dubia, and Menidia beryllina toxicity tests; Middaugh DP et al.; To determine whether a 7- to 10-d embryo toxicity/teratogenicity test with the inland silverside fish, Menidia beryllina, is a sensitive indicator for evaluation of bleached kraft mill effluents, we compared this test with the Microtox(R) 15-min acute toxicity test and the Ceriodaphnia dubia 7-d chronic toxicity test . Water samples used in each test were collected from three areas in a bleached kraft pulp and paper mill using a 100% chlorine dioxide bleaching process: 1) river water prior to use in the mill; 2) the combined acid/base waste stream from the pulping process prior to biological treatment in the aerated stabilization basin (ASB); and 3) the effluent from the ASB with a retention time of approximately 11 d . Relative toxicity determined by the three tests for each water sampling location was compared . All three toxicity tests were predictive indicators of toxicity; however, the C . dubia and M . beryllina tests were the more similar and sensitive indicators of toxicity . Process water (ASB influent) prior to biological treatment in the ASB was toxic at all concentrations using the Microtox(R) and C . dubia tests . The fish embryo test showed no toxicity at 1% concentrations, slight toxicity at 10%, and acute toxicity at the 100% ASB influent concentration . Tests with biologically-treated ASB effluent indicated a substantial reduction in observed toxicity to Microtox(R) bacteria, C . dubia, and M . beryllina . No toxic responses were observed in any test at a 1% ASB effluent concentration which was the approximate effluent concentration in the receiving river following mixing . No relationship was found among any toxicological response and effluent levels of adsorbable organic halides, polychlorinated phenolic compounds, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran, total suspended solids, color, chemical oxygen demand, or total organic carbon.

Arch Environ Contam Toxicol, 1997 Jan, 32(1), 94 - 8
Optimization of environmental factors for the biological treatment of trinitrotoluene-contaminated soil; Boopathy R et al.; In earlier studies (Boopathy et al . 1994a, 1994b), soil bacteria present in a TNT-contaminated site removed 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) . In this study the optimum conditions for the most efficient removal of TNT is discussed . The results suggest that the soil bacterial consortium has an optimal pH range of 6-7 . Maximum growth was observed at pH 7 . However, the TNT removal rate was higher at pH 6 . Studies of the effects of temperature showed that the bacterial consortium had maximum metabolic activity at 20 to 22 degrees C (ambient temperature) . At a higher temperature (37 degrees C) the TNT removal rate dropped significantly . The consortium could not use TNT as a nitrogen source but required the addition of ammonium . Optimal growth occurred with 0.25 g/L of ammonium chloride . Growing cells removed TNT significantly faster rates than resting cells or cell-free extract . The operation of soil slurry reactors with the optimal conditions suggested that TNT can be removed effectively from the contaminated sites . These environmental conditions established as optimal can be used to improve the efficiency of large-scale soil slurry reactors for the treatment of soil contaminated with TNT.

Rozhl Chir, 1996 Oct, 75(10), 513 - 4
{Treatment of acromioclavicular dislocation with resorbable fixation material}; Jurica Z; The demand of biological treatment of acromioclavicular luxations is met by the use of Polydioxanon strips (PDS) . Artificial damage of the joint does not occur and the bond is elastic . Thus removal of metal which ensures rigid fixation of the joint is eliminated . This makes it possible to achieve within a short period a normal range of movements.

Pharmacopsychiatry, 1996 Sep, 29(5), 167 - 75
Biological treatment of rapid-cycling bipolar disorder; Kruger S et al.; Rapid-cycling bipolar disorder (RCBD) is currently defined as the presence of at least four affective episodes per year . RCBD is often difficult to treat with standard therapies bipolar disorder (BD), thus dictating special treatment strategies . This is especially true for the treatment of RCBD with lithium, which has been described as insufficient to prevent the high-frequency episodes in up to 82% of cases . There are several other possibilities for the biological treatment of RCBD, including the mood-stabilizers carbamazepine (CBZ) and valproate, neuroleptics, antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, l-thyroxine, benzodiazepines . ECT, total sleep deprivation and several other less proven agents . The utility of these agents and treatment procedures in the acute and prophylactic treatment of RCBD is reviewed . Special emphasis is placed on the controversial discussion of the possible induction and worsening of RCBD by antidepressant treatment . Finally, a number of guidelines for the pharmacological management of RCBD are proposed.

Mutat Res, 1996 Jul 5, 368(3-4), 171 - 9
The evaluation of waste, surface and ground water quality using the Allium test procedure; Smaka-Kincl V et al.; The bulbs of Allium cepa were grown in test liquids of various pollution levels as follows: undiluted industrial and municipal waste water; biological treatment plant output water; water from the Drava river upstream and downstream of the city of Maribor; and non-chlorinated drinking water as a negative control test . The paper presents the response of the Allium cepa genetic material to the presence of potential cytotoxic and genotoxic substances in test liquids and the suitability of the Allium cepa testing procedure as a method for short-term determination of water pollution level . The suitability of the Allium test procedure as a system for environmental monitoring is presented . The influence of water pollution on macroscopic and cytologic parameters of the common onion by application of the biological testing method was examined . The macroscopic parameter was inhibition of root growth . The cytological parameters were: aberrant cells in metaphase and anaphase, index of micronuclei appearance and inhibition of cell division . The possibility of categorization the different polluted test liquids into quality classes is presented according to the influence of the test liquids on macroscopic and cytologic parameters . Test liquids are divided into 8 quality classes: the first class is the least polluted surface waters, the second and the third classes are more polluted surface water, the fourth and the fifth classes are biological treatment plant output waters, the sixth till the eighth quality classes are untreated waste waters . The most polluted test liquids (untreated industrial and municipal waste waters) caused sublethal and even lethal effects . The most polluted tested liquids cause the inhibition of root growth over 50% (even up to 74%), decrease of mitotic index over 36% (even up to 66%), increase of presence of interphase cells with micronuclei over 3% and increase of presence of aberrant cells for more than 10 times in comparison to control test.

Encephale, 1996 Jun, 22 Spec No 2, 19 - 23
{Incidence of the deficit form in refractory schizophrenia}; Samuelian JC; The treatment and management of schizophrenic patients "resistant" to neuroleptics is one of the major problem areas in current psychiatry, as is deficitary (non-productive) schizophrenia, which is considered to be the least curable clinical form of the disease . What is the scope of these definitions? The majority of definitions amalgamate affective blunting, social withdrawal, poverty of ideas and speech when describing the deficitary clinical picture . Even though there are differences between authors such as Andreasen and Kay, the consensus opinion holds that there is impoverished emotional range and diminished spontaneous movement . The term "resistance" refers to resistance to neuroleptic treatments . Kane, for example, stipulates that 3 antipsychotic treatments at effective doses and prescribed for an adequate length of time must have proved to be ineffective before the patient can be termed "treatment-resistant" . Based on studies, 5 to 20% of these patients are also intolerant of neuroleptics, in particular of their extrapyramidal effects, which induce Parkinson's syndrome, akathisia and tardive dyskinesia . The sedative and extrapyramidal effects of neuroleptics may incidentally augment the negative symptoms (Moller, 1993) . Currently there is no scientific method of predicting the likely profile of responders and non-responders to neuroleptics . Collaborative studies carried out by the National Institute of Mental Health (Cole et al., 1964, 1966) on the response to neuroleptics in the acute phase of schizophrenia showed that 3% of patients were worsened, 22% marginally improved and 69% greatly improved by treatment . Recognition of negative forms in resistant schizophrenia also requires distinction between depressive features which develop during the course of schizophrenia . Symptoms such as anhedonia, apathy, social withdrawal and poverty of speed which are typical of depressive illness are also considered to be schizophrenic symptoms (Maier et al., 1990) . It is currently accepted that 10 to 25% of schizophrenic patients may be considered as non-responders to antipsychotic treatments . When evaluating this response not only the disappearance of positive and negative symptoms, but also the ability to function socially and professionally and the number of hospitalizations must be taken into account (Strauss and Carpenter, 1972), (Brenner, 1990) . It is highly appropriate to evaluate the beneficial effects of treatments on positive and negative symptoms . Johnstone et al . (1978) verified the hypothesis that the traditional neuroleptics were less effective against negative symptoms . Kay and Opler (1987) showed that improvement in these symptoms took longer to become established . The negative symptoms which characterize type II schizophrenia described by Crow (1980, 1985) are considered to be non-responders to treatment . However, authors such as Goldberg (1985) and Meltzer et al . (1986) in the French tradition have dismissed this argument . Studies on the evaluation of treatment currently tend to make a sharp distinction between negative and positive poles . In all cases, biological treatment is rarely adequate and it is essential to combine it with psychosocial therapy . Information from patient and family on the type of illness involved and on the different types of assistance which can be provided, as much medical as purely social, invariably proves useful.

Chest, 1996 May, 109(5 Suppl), 119S - 124S
Biological treatment of NSCLC . The need for conclusive studies; Jassem J; Despite extensive investigation, biological treatments for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remain largely undeveloped . The lack of satisfactory models has frequently led to inadequate phase II studies and to small and inconclusive phase III trials . Nonuniformity of trials has prevented clearer conclusions from being reached by meta-analysis . In general, immunotherapy has failed to fulfill expectations for clinical usefulness . The benefit with this approach, if any, seems to be marginal, but it is not clear whether this is a result of lack of activity or faulty clinical testing . The future of biological agents in cancer treatment lies in ongoing advances in molecular biology, for example in making tumors more immunogenic . Another avenue of further clinical research includes novel forms of therapy with monoclonal antibodies . Adequate models for testing and appropriate clinical trial settings could clarify the role of biological agents in NSCLC.

Nervenarzt, 1996 Mar, 67(3), 183 - 97
{Psychotherapy of depressive disorders: on theoretical background and practice relevance}; Mundt C; In the psychotherapy of depression a knowledge of causative factors is essential for both practical aspects of interventions and the design of refined outcome studies . Outcome studies, which should go beyond simple pre-post comparisons, require such detailed hypotheses about the underlying pathogenetic mechanism which is addressed by a therapeutic technique . Thus, for this purpose psychopathological classification has to be supplemented by a pathogenetic classification . In the first section of this paper the most influential conceptual models of depression are discussed, including loss and grief, inhibited and reversed aggression, disturbed attachment, narcissistic crisis, the disturbed "prolepsis", structural dynamic restriction, learned helplessness, the social role model and Brown's sociological 3-factor model . In the second part, a reduction to three models is suggested and elucidated--the melancholic type, the narcissistic structure and depressive structure--in order to achieve a selection of specific intervention strategies . These are explained by a number of case vignettes . This pathogenetic structural diagnosis should be worked out in addition to the cross-sectional psychotherapeutic work . An additional "staging" of the long-term course provides more precision to the pathogenetic focus and accordingly to the selection of an adequate intervention strategy . In the third section the empirical literature is reviewed of those studies which have adopted objective assessment methods . No consensus has yet been found regarding appropriate methods and results are still rather inconsistent . We emphasize the necessity for a pathogenetic focus agreed upon by both patient and therapist and the consideration of the psychotherapeutic impact of biological treatment components with regard to self-image, allocation of heteronomy, and the patient's disease concept.

J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry, 1996 Mar, 27(1), 51 - 6
AIDS-related obsessive compulsive disorder: deconditioning based on fluoxetine-induced inhibition of anxiety; Kraus RP et al.; Abel's (1993) review of treatments for obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) indicated that both behavioral treatment (exposure with response prevention, and biological treatment (specific serotonin reuptake inhibiting drugs) are effective . It was recognized that having both available for patients is preferable because there would be situations where one treatment is more appropriate than the other . One indication for using drugs would be where situational constraints do not allow for effective exposure treatment . We present a case study of a microbiology technician with AIDS-related OCD who had an excellent response to the administration of fluoxetine without relapse when the drug was discontinued.

J Rheumatol, 1996 Feb, 23(2), 220 - 5
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by immunization with mononuclear white blood cells: results of a preliminary trial; Smith JB et al.; OBJECTIVE: To determine if immunization with alloantigenic blood mononuclear cells (MNC) in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can result in objective and subjective improvement in RA . METHODS: Eleven patients meeting American College of Rheumatology criteria for RA were treated in an open label trial by immunization with allogeneic MNC obtained from donors screened for infectious agents according to American Association of Blood Banks guidelines . MNC (30-250 x 10(6) cells) were given at 6 week intervals . Half the MNC (vol 2 ml) were injected intravenously and half in 4 divided doses subcutaneously (sq, 0.5 ml each) . Disease activity assessments were done before entry and at immunotherapy visits thereafter . These included physician global assessment of disease activity, patient global assessment of pain, arthritis impact measurement scales (AIMS), swollen joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and/or C-reactive protein (CRP) . RESULTS: Statistically significant improvement was noted in all clinical variables measured when pretreatment data were compared to those obtained at the time of injection number 3 . MNC dose related improvement was found when the total number of cells given in the first 2 injections were compared to percentage improvement in patient assessment of pain (r = 0.71, p < 0.02), AIMS (r = 0.60, p = 0.05), and improvement in the means of all variables measured (r = 0.70, p < 0.03) . When all variables were averaged, 6 of 11 patients experienced > 20% and 3 of 11 experienced > or = 40% improvement . The only side effects noted were transient local pain and swelling at the sq injection sites . CONCLUSION: MNC immunization may represent a suitable and safe alternative to drug treatment for selected patients with RA . Statistically significant improvement was found in all variables and several of these were cell dose related . A placebo controlled randomized trial immunizing with a standardized number of cells will address efficacy of this biological treatment approach.

Rev Belge Med Dent, 1996, 51(4), 284 - 96
{Definitive or exploratory periodontal experimentation: an overview of the literature}; Hujoel PP; Definitive and exploratory randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have different goals as well as different design and analysis characteristics . The goal of definitive studies is to provide unequivocal evidence of a treatment's tangible benefit to the patient; a pre-trial-specified hypothesis is tested by use of a pre-trial-specified method . The goal of exploratory studies is to elucidate biological treatment mechanisms, to identify promising treatments, and to generate hypotheses for definitive studies: multiple hypotheses are evaluated to extract as much information from the data as possible . The purposes of this study were: (1) to survey selected design and analysis characteristics of randomized controlled periodontal trials published between 1988 and 1992 (n = 86), and (2) to classify trials as exploratory or definitive studies . The periodontal RCTs surveyed were typical of exploratory studies whose primary goal was to elucidate biological treatment mechanisms . Trial reports indicated the testing of multiple hypotheses (> or = 6 hypothesis tests in 70 of the 86 trials) on a variety of biological markers (86 out of 86 trials) . The sample size (< or = 30 subjects in 67 out of 86 trials), duration (< or = 6 months in 65 out of 86 trials), and design and analysis characteristics (e.g., an absence of masking in 57 out of 86 trials) were also typical of exploratory studies which strive to obtain quick answers (short duration) at a low cost (small sample size; accept bias for increased efficiency and a lower cost) . No definitive trials were identified . Promising, biologically active, treatments identified in exploratory trials should be evaluated in definitive studies where the primary goal is the procurement of unequivocal evidence of a treatment's tangible benefit to the patient . The costs and benefits of conducting definitive periodontal RCTs to provide such evidence should be investigated.

Actas Luso Esp Neurol Psiquiatr Cienc Afines, 1996 Jan-Feb, 24(1), 25 - 8
{Neuroimaging and fundamental symptoms in schizophrenia}; Lopez-Ibor MI et al.; The complexity of the clinical picture of schizophrenia is an essential feature of the disease that has led to attempts at organizing the symptoms and clinical course into different subtypes or grouping them into symptom constellations . Variations in response to treatment, particularly biological treatment, justifies the effort of differentiation . Various authors have tried to define primary or fundamental symptoms, that are directly related with the underlying abnormality, and secondary symptoms, which involve adaptive or reactive mechanism . Similarly, first-order symptoms, pathognomic symptoms, and second-order symptoms have been described . A constant latent problem in psychopathology is to determine the degree in which first-order symptoms are primary.

Encephale, 1995 Dec, 21 Spec No 7, 17 - 22
{Management of somatization in depression}; Azorin JM; Management of somatization in depression depends on understanding its mechanisms . This kind of somatization is the product of both specific and nonspecific factors which interact to create a chronic and hypocondriacal picture . Biological treatment looks like treatment of chronic depression . Antidepressants with anxiolytic properties have a place of choice . Psychotherapy is frequently used, particularly cognitive behavior therapy which allows the reattribution of somatic symptoms to psychological events . General practitioners need to be trained to these techniques as they are, more frequently than psychiatrists, involved in the management of these patients.

Psychiatr Serv, 1995 Aug, 46(8), 833 - 5
Treatment of Hassidic Jewish patients in a general hospital medical-psychiatric unit; Trappler B et al.; A combined medical-psychiatric inpatient unit at a general medical center in Brooklyn, New York, provides inpatient psychiatric treatment to members of the Orthodox Jewish sect of the Lubavitcher Hassidim, who are generally reluctant to accept treatment in traditional psychiatric inpatient settings . The unit's biological treatment model, which emphasizes long-term maintenance on psychotropic medication, monthly postdischarge pharmacotherapeutic visits, lowered expectations, and minimal use of expressive psychotherapy, is compatible with the Hassidic community's view of mental illness . A practicing Orthodox Jewish psychiatrist on the unit staff sensitizes other staff members to religious and cultural issues in treating Hassidic patients.

J Dent Res, 1995 Aug, 74(8), 1453 - 8
Definitive vs . exploratory periodontal trials: a survey of published studies; Hujoel PP; Definitive and exploratory randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have different goals as well as different design and analysis characteristics . The goal of definitive studies is to provide unequivocal evidence of a treatment's tangible benefit to the patient; a pre-trial-specified hypothesis is tested by use of a pre-trial-specified method . The goal of exploratory studies is to elucidate biological treatment mechanisms, to identify promising treatments, and to generate hypotheses for definitive studies; multiple hypotheses are evaluated to extract as much information from the data as possible . The purposes of this study were: (1) to survey selected design and analysis characteristics of randomized controlled periodontal trials published between 1988 and 1992 (n = 86), and (2) to classify trials as exploratory or definitive studies . The peridontal RCTs surveyed were typical of exploratory studies whose primary goal was to elucidate biological treatment mechanisms . Trial reports indicated the testing of multiple hypotheses (> or = 6 hypothesis tests in 70 of the 86 trials) on a variety of biological markers (86 out of 86 trials) . The sample size (< or = 30 subjects in 67 out of 86 trials), duration (< or = 6 months in 65 out of 86 trials), and design and analysis characteristics (e.g., an absence of masking in 57 out of 86 trials) were also typical of exploratory studies which strive to obtain quick answers (short duration) at a low cost (small sample size; accept bias for increased efficiency and a lower cost) . No definitive trials were identified.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

J Air Waste Manag Assoc, 1995 Jun, 45(6), 453 - 60
Enzymes for enhancing bioremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils: a brief review; Fan CY et al.; During the 1950s and 1960s, hundreds of thousands of underground storage tanks (and above-ground storage tanks) containing petroleum products and hazardous chemicals were installed . Many of these tanks either have been abandoned or have exceeded their useful lives and are leaking, thereby posing a serious threat to the nation's surface and groundwater supplies, as well as to public health . Cleaning up releases of petroleum hydrocarbons or other organic chemicals in the subsurface environment is a real-world problem . Biological treatment of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil is considered to be a relatively low-cost and safe technology; however, its potential for effectively treating recalcitrant wastes has not been fully explored . For millions of years, microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, actinomycete, protozoa, and others have performed the function of recycling organic matter from which new plant life can grow . This paper examines the biological treatment technology for cleaning up petroleum product-contaminated soils, with special emphasis on microbial enzyme systems for enhancing the rate of biodegradation of petroleum hydrocarbons . Classifications and functions of enzymes, as well as the microbes, in degrading the organic contaminants are discussed . In addition, the weathering effect on biodegradation, types of hydrocarbon degraders, advantages associated with enzyme use, methods of enzyme extraction, and future research needs for development and evaluation of enzyme-assisted bioremediation are examined.

Encephale, 1995 Jun, 21 Spec No 3, 13 - 21
{Treatment refractory schizophrenia}; Vanelle JM; Historically, first case-report of resistant schizophrenia were described under insulin therapy . Later on, the development of classical neuroleptics has permitted a better outcome but the persistence of a lack of improvement in certain patients has induced the individuation of treatment-refractory schizophrenia criteria . The difficulties in defining the refractory schizophrenic patients are described: variability of the schizophrenia diagnostic criteria, variability of outcome, lack of consensus about the good practices in neuroleptic treatment, difficulties in defining response criteria and the confusion between resistance, chronicity and severity . Three kinds of treatment refractory schizophrenia criteria are available: by Kane et al., May et Dencker, Brenner Dencker et al . There are few studies including resistant schizophrenic patients: their results are not homogeneous, perhaps because the prevalence of treatment-refractory schizophrenia is poorly known, with ranges from 5 to 25% . The following factors are hypothesized as being readily associated to a poor outcome and perhaps resistance: male sex, early illness beginning, severity of negative or formal thought disorder, absence of an affective syndrome, morphological CT scans abnormalities, pharmacological factors, late treatment initiation, variability of biodisposibility.. . Then the therapeutic point of view is considered under three main axes: neuroleptic drugs (NLP) are the basis of chemotherapy, but other therapeutic approaches complete the biological treatment: coherent institutional work and implication of family environment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Encephale, 1995 Mar, 21 Spec No 2, 61 - 70
{Efficacy of antidepressants and thymoregulators in the long-term evolution of depression}; Pringuey D et al.; Official recommendations pointed out the long term maintenance treatment of recurrent unipolar depression on the basis of a significant effect of antidepressants and mood-stabilizers versus placebo . The results of controlled studies, mainly using imipramine or lithium salts, have not been encouraging in term of long term prognosis, due to the limited success rate for maintenance phase ranging from 30 to 48% . The "Pittsburgh study" maximized the recurrence potential by defining patients selection on at least 3 previous episodes of unipolar depression, with the immediate previous episode being no more than 2.5 years earlier, beginning the experimental maintenance therapy phase after patients remain relatively symptom free for a total of 20 weeks, and scheduled the imipramine withdrawal in the randomly assigned placebo group by a progressive reduction of 33% per week . Survival analysis in the 5 years maintenance outcome of previously imipramine responders patients demonstrated an increased risk of depressive recurrence at the beginning of discontinuation but did not prove a true prophylactic effect . Furthermore these findings do not prove that treatment are not more effective than placebo, suggesting at least a revisitation of the clinical concept of response . The putative efficacy of biological treatment should be an operational criteria to elicit vulnerability markers, mainly in the field of sleep research.

Environ Health Perspect, 1995 Feb, 103 Suppl 1, 63 - 5
A pilot plant for removing chromium from residual water of tanneries; Landgrave J; The purpose of this study is to develop a technical process for removing trivalent chromium from tannery wastewater via precipitation . This process can be considered an alternative that avoids a remediation procedure against the metal presence in industrial wastes . This process was verified in a treatment pilot plant located in Leon, Mexico handling 10 m3/day of three types of effluents . The effluent streams were separated to facilitate the elimination of pollutants from each one . The process was based on in situ treatment and recycle to reduce problems associated with transportation and confinement of contaminated sludges . Two types of treatment were carried out in the pilot plant: The physical/chemical and biological treatments . Thirty-five experiments were conducted and the studied variables were the pH, type of flocculant, and its dose . The statistical significance of chromium samples was 94.7% for its precipitation and 99.7% for recovery . The objectives established for this phase of the development were accomplished and the overall efficiencies were measured for each stage in the pilot plant . The results were: a) chromium precipitation 99.5% from wastewater stream, b) chromium recovery 99% for recycling, and c) physical/chemical treatment to eliminate grease and fat at least 85% and 65 to 70% for the biological treatment . The tanning of a hide lot (350 pieces) was accomplished using 60% treated and recycled water without affecting the product quality . The recovered chromium liquor was also used in this hide tanning . This technical procedure is also applicable for removing heavy metals in other industrial sectors as well as in reducing water consumption rates, if pertinent adjustments are implemented.

Essays Biochem, 1995, 30, 119 - 31
Diphtheria toxin-based receptor-specific chimaeric toxins as targeted therapies; Sweeney EB et al.; The results from the phase I/II studies of the intravenous administration of DAB486-IL-2 to patients with refractory haematological malignancies have now proven in principle the feasibility of fusion toxin therapy in man . Indeed, the cell-surface receptor-specific intoxication of neoplastic cells through the catalytic ADP-ribosylation of EF-2 is the prototype of a new class of biological response modifiers that may be generally applicable . In those circumstances where either the de novo expression or up-regulation of a cell-surface receptor can be associated with human disease {e.g . the up-regulation of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor on breast cancer}, it should be possible to construct genetically a DT-related/growth factor fusion protein to produce an experimental biological treatment of that malignancy . The EGF receptor-targeted fusion toxin DAB389-EGF has within the last year begun human phase I clinical trials . The pre-clinical development of DAB389-IL-7 has begun with the anticipation that this novel fusion toxin will be evaluated in the treatment of the acute leukaemias in which the IL-7R has been shown to be present.

J Basic Microbiol, 1995, 35(5), 293 - 301
Biological treatment of distillery waste for pollution-remediation; Fitzgibbon FJ et al.; The biological treatment of spent wash from molasses distilleries was investigated . Analysis of raw spent wash showed it to be a recalcitrant waste, with a high COD of 85,170 mg/l and containing inhibitory phenolic compounds . Reverse phase thin layer chromatography identified gallic and vanillic acid present in spent wash . The fungi Geotrichum candidum, Coriolus versicolor, Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Mycelia sterilia were screened for their ability to decolourize spent wash and to reduce the COD level . A 10 day pretreatment with Geotrichum candidum at 30 degrees C resulted in reducing the COD by 53.17% and total phenols by 47.82%, enabling other bioremediating organisms to grow . Coriolus versicolor immobilized in a packed-bed reactor reduced the COD of spent wash by a further 50.3%, giving an overall reduction in COD of 77% to 15,780 mg/l . A small amount of decolourization was achieved (4.2%), although the spent wash was still coloured . Present studies are encouraging and indicate that it is possible to bioremediate spent wash using a multi-stage treatment process involving an initial pretreatment step with Geotrichum candidum.

Am J Psychiatry, 1994 Oct, 151(10), 1409 - 16
One hundred years of schizophrenia: a meta-analysis of the outcome literature; Hegarty JD et al.; OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to assess the twentieth-century literature on outcome in schizophrenia for historical trends that might be associated with changes in diagnostic and therapeutic practice and to test the hypothesis that both improved biological treatment and changes in diagnostic criteria have influenced outcome . METHOD: Meta-analysis of the international literature on outcome in schizophrenia or dementia praecox from 1895 to 1992 identified 821 studies; 320 of these, with 51,800 subjects in 368 cohorts, met the inclusion criteria for the study . RESULTS: Only 40.2% of patients were considered improved after follow-ups averaging 5.6 years (range = 1-40) . Outcome was significantly better when patients were diagnosed according to systems with broad criteria (46.5% were improved) or undefined criteria (41.0% were improved) rather than narrow criteria (27.3% were improved) . The proportion of patients who improved increased significantly after mid-century (for 1956-1985 versus 1895-1955, 48.5% versus 35.4%), probably reflecting improved treatment as well as a broadened concept of schizophrenia . However, in the past decade, the average rate of favorable outcome has declined to 36.4%, perhaps reflecting the re-emergence of narrow diagnostic concepts . CONCLUSIONS: Overall, less than half of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia have shown substantial clinical improvement after follow-up averaging nearly 6 years . Despite considerable gains in improvement rates after mid-century, there has been a decline since the 1970s . These historical changes probably reflect improved treatment, shifts in diagnostic criteria, and selection bias related to changes in health care.

Strahlenther Onkol, 1994 Sep, 170(9), 507 - 15
{The indications for the curative radiotherapy of non-small-cell bronchial carcinoma . Reflections from a clinical viewpoint}; Bohndorf W et al.; PURPOSE: To find out the indications for treatment and selection criteria of patients who will profit from curative radiotherapy . PATIENTS AND METHODS: A literature review and own data concerning the lymphogenous metastatic pathways and incidence of involvement of loco-regional lymph nodes are used to define the biological treatment volume of a curative irradiation . A retrospective analysis of 266 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was performed . The metastatic pathway of the lymphogenous spread was analysed based on pretherapy CT scan as well as clinical examination . RESULTS: Only carefully selected patients under similar selection criteria as for curative surgery are suitable to undergo a curative radiotherapy . The biological treatment volume for curative irradiation has to include the primary with a margin, the ipsilateral hilar nodes as well as the whole mediastinum including the subcarinal lymph nodes, but not the contralateral hilar and supraclavicular lymph nodes . The survival rate of patients with N3 nodal stage are 0% . A 3-step concept for curative radiotherapy until 70 Gy is proposed . CONCLUSIONS: A limited number of patients with NSCLC, carefully selected as for surgery, are suitable to undergo a curative radiotherapy with 70 Gy . This will enable to demonstrate a curative value of radiotherapy.

Rev Argent Microbiol, 1994 Jul-Sep, 26(3), 116 - 23
{Storage of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria}; Bade GM et al.; The storage in the laboratory of hydrocarbon degrading bacteria to be used in the decontamination of polluted sites or in the enhancement of biological treatment of industrial effluents was studied . Storage was carried out at 4 degrees C in nutrient agar and in a medium with selection pressure, liquid mineral medium with hydrocarbons . Storage at 4 degrees C with selection pressure and storage at -20 degrees C of 7 gram negative bacilli were compared . The former was the easiest method for preserving the greatest number of strains viable and active.

Presse Med, 1994 Jun 18, 23(23), 1083 - 91
Clinical applications of cytokines; Peschel C et al.; Cytokines are multifunctional signaling peptide molecules which regulate a plethora of cellular activities in the immune system . Cytokines provide a means of communication between the immune system and its non-immune neighbours . Several clinical entities have been recognized as targets for clinical applications including interaction with malignant cell growth, host defence against infectious agents, negative regulation of autoagressive disorders and regulation of tissue and cell regeneration . Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) can effectively regulate malignant growth in hairy-cell leukaemia, the first example of a biological treatment modality which tames a malignant disease and noramlizes life expectancy, although cure is not achieved . INF-alpha can also control myeloid hyperplasia in approximately two-thirds of the patients with chronic myelogenous leukaemia . In 30% of the patients, treatment is accompanied by partial or complete restoration of normal haematopoiesis . Such cytogentic responses have not been observed with conventional chemotherapy . INF-alpha is also effective in infectious viral hepatitis B, C and D . A long-term beneficial response is observed in 25-40% of the patients . Promising results have also been seen with INF-gamma and interleukin-2 for the treatment of chronic leishmania infection and lepromatous leprosy . Activation of monocytes or macrophages induces these cells to intracellularly destruct leishmania parasites . Growth factors have been identified which influence erythrocyte, granulocyte and macrophage production . Their clinical use has been studied in patients with bone marrow failure, chronic renal failure, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and in patients with cancer undergoing chemotherapy or bone marrow transplantation . Additional work is needed to appreciate the immunnodulation effect of cytokines and their role in wound healing and tissue regulation.

Microbiology, 1994 Jun, 140 ( Pt 6), 1433 - 42
Haloalkane degradation and assimilation by Rhodococcus rhodochrous NCIMB 13064; Curragh H et al.; The bacterium Rhodococcus rhodochrous NCIMB 13064, isolated from an industrial site, could use a wide range of 1-haloalkanes as sole carbon source but apparently utilized several different mechanisms simultaneously for assimilation of substrate . Catabolism of 1-chlorobutane occurred mainly by attack at the C-1 atom by a hydrolytic dehalogenase with the formation of butanol which was metabolized via butyric acid . The detection of small amounts of gamma-butyrolactone in the medium suggested that some oxygenase attack at C-4 also occurred, leading to the formation of 4-chlorobutyric acid which subsequently lactonized chemically to gamma-butyrolactone . Although 1-chlorobutane-grown cells exhibited little dehalogenase activity on 1-chloroalkanes with chain lengths above C10, the organism utilized such compounds as growth substrates with the release of chloride . Concomitantly, gamma-butyrolactone accumulated to 1 mM in the culture medium with 1-chlorohexadecane as substrate . Traces of 4-hydroxybutyric acid were also detected . It is suggested that attack on the long-chain chloroalkane is initiated by an oxygenase at the non-halogenated end of the molecule leading to the formation of an omega-chlorofatty acid . This is degraded by beta-oxidation to 4-chlorobutyric acid which is chemically lactonized to gamma-butyrolactone which is only slowly further catabolized via 4-hydroxybutyric acid and succinic acid . However, release of chloride into the medium during growth on long-chain chloroalkanes was insufficient to account for all the halogen present in the substrate . Analysis of the fatty acid composition of 1-chlorohexadecane-grown cells indicated that chlorofatty acids comprised 75% of the total fatty acid content with C14:0, C16:0, C16:1 and C18:1 acids predominating . Thus the incorporation of 16-chlorohexadecanoic acid, the product of oxygenase attack directly into cellular lipid represents a third route of chloroalkane assimilation . This pathway accounts at least in part for the incomplete mineralization of long-chain chloroalkane substrates . This is the first report of the coexistence of a dehalogenase and the ability to incorporate long-chain haloalkanes into the lipid fraction within a single organism and raises important questions regarding the biological treatment of haloalkane containing effluents.

Antibiot Khimioter, 1994 Jun, 39(6), 20 - 2
{Problems of ecology . Technology of submerged biological treatment of sewage}; Terent'eva NA et al.; A technological process is described for the submerged biological treatment of household and industrial sewage and in particular pharmaceutical industry and pooled sewage . The submerged biological treatment of the sewage to the maximum permissible concentrations adopted for the water in fish farming is achieved by the use of submerged and immobilized microorganisms in a multistage process under anaerobic and aerobic conditions and the use of chemically active and inert materials as carriers of the microorganisms inducing certain biological processes . The data on the ecological estimation of the treated sewage by the stages of the technological process are presented.

J Chem Technol Biotechnol, 1994 Jun, 60(2), 117 - 24
Extractive membrane bioreactors: a new process technology for detoxifying chemical industry wastewaters; Livingston AG; This paper describes an extractive membrane bioreactor developed to extract and biodegrade toxic organic pollutants present in chemical industry wastewaters . The technology is applicable to wastewaters emanating in organic synthesis operations which are not treatable by conventional 'direct' biological treatment due to extremes of pH, high salt contents, or otherwise hostile organic compositions, and also to wastewaters that contain volatile organic compounds . A laboratory scale prototype demonstrating the technology has been operated continuously over periods of several months, using industrially produced wastewaters . No pre-conditioning or dilution of the wastewaters is necessary prior to treatment, which removes and destroys over 99% of the toxic organics present.

Rev Argent Microbiol, 1994 Apr-Jun, 26(2), 87 - 95
{The biomass in upflow anaerobic filters}; Cordoba PR et al.; A cylindrical upflow filter packed with non-reticulated polyurethane foam, seeded with anaerobic sewage sludge and geared to biological treatment of dairy industrial wastewater, was used to determine the biomass content of the biofilm and suspended flora . This microflora is responsible for the conversion to methane and carbon dioxide of most of organic matter in wastewater . The methanogenic process reduces the COD of liquid wastes in more than 83% when operate at organic loading rate of 6 Kg COD/m3/d . Sequential sampling showed that biomass could be determined by measurement of volatile solids of each filter section . Those solids are related to filter geometry an produce accumulation of flocs (0.7g/l) in the bottom zone corresponding to liquid inlet.

Acta Psychiatr Scand Suppl, 1994, 384, 102 - 7
New perspectives on biological treatment of schizophrenia; Lingjaerde O; Recent research seems to indicate that many schizophrenics suffer from a defective brain development, which is reflected by basic disturbances in cognitive, information-processing, volitional and emotional functions . Positive symptoms like hallucinations and delusions may be secondary to the more basic disturbances . Varying degrees of defective brain development places a ceiling on the functional improvement that can be obtained in this illness . However, whereas positive symptoms usually respond best to neuroleptics, even negative symptoms can be improved, for instance by clozapine . To obtain such improvement, it seems necessary, in addition to blocking dopamine D2 receptors, to influence other receptor systems, as for instance serotonergic 5HT-2 and possibly dopaminergic D1 and/or D4 receptors . Stimulation of glutamatergic NMDA receptors also seems to be a promising possibility.

Mikrobiol Z, 1993 Nov-Dec, 55(6), 66 - 73
{The biology of bacteria used to treat industrial sewage to remove heavy metals}; Kvasnikov EI et al.; The content of heavy metals in the water bodies increases as a result of anthropogenic effects . Heavy metals exert toxical effect on hydrobionts . Involved into the trophic chain they can be the cause of grave human diseases . Microorganisms possess a capacity to accumulate heavy metals in their body, evoke the process of their enzymatic transformation into nontoxical compounds and adsorb them on the cell surface . When breeding bacterial strains for the biological treatment of sewage from the metal-working plants the authors recommend to choose the cultures from econiches containing heavy metal compounds and to establish their resistance to high concentrations of metals . This resistance correlates with high biological activity . The bacterial strains of Pseudomonas genus possessing a capacity to sulphate reduction have been selected . As a result of their activity the high-solvable toxical sulphates are restored to practically unsolvable precipitating forms . A new species Aeromonas dechromatica transforming high-toxical six-valence chromium into low-toxical three-valent ones is described . The grounds of biotechnologies of the use of the breeded cultures for treatment of industrial sewage are stated.

Singapore Med J, 1993 Oct, 34(5), 445 - 8
Management of grief; Devan GS; This article classifies grief into uncomplicated and complicated grief . A review of the psycho-analytic literature, recent studies on incidence, stages and developmental aspects of normal grief, the phenomenology and psychopathology of complicated grief, and the total management of grief amongst psychiatric patients, is presented . Complicated grief, classified as delayed, prolonged and distorted grief is described . As there is increased morbidity and mortality, the need for psychiatric intervention is necessary . The treatment of pathological grief includes grief counselling, brief dynamic psychotherapy, group psychotherapy, and family work . In addition to psychotherapy, for mental illness accompanying grief, biological treatment such as drugs should not be avoided . Therapeutic work with bereaved patients include the empathic approach, active listening, encouragement of verbal expression of affect, giving permission to grieve, and maintenance of therapeutic neutrality . Adequate attention must be given to analysis of counter transference and case supervision of the student therapist.

Medsurg Nurs, 1993 Apr, 2(2), 139 - 42
Management of the schizophrenic patient on the medical-surgical unit; Favro D; In this two-part series the management of patients diagnosed with schizophrenia on the medical-surgical unit is discussed . In Part I, the symptoms, etiology, and biological treatment of the illness are examined . In Part II, to be published next issue, the role of the nurse in managing symptoms and the unit environment and ensuring patient advocacy are discussed.

Int J Psychiatry Med, 1993, 23(2), 99 - 117
Psychosocial factors and recurrent genital herpes: a review of prediction and psychiatric treatment studies; Longo D et al.; OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this review was to evaluate the evidence which supports the association between psychosocial factors and genital herpes simplex virus recurrences (HSV), as well as to examine the biological and psychological treatments for disease . METHOD: Forty-five studies were reviewed from the years 1928 to 1991 . Studies were identified via computerized biographic literature search of Psychological Abstracts and Medline . Additional studies were located by inspection of key article reference sections . Studies were included in the review if the sample consisted of recurrent genital herpes sufferers and the design was either correlational or experimental . Cases studies were reviewed if they described HSV psychiatric treatment and provided outcome information . RESULTS: Psychosocial variables are important elements in the prediction, maintenance, and management of recurrent genital herpes . Furthermore, the effectiveness of psychological treatment regimes may be explained via psychoimmunological theory . CONCLUSIONS: Psychosocial treatment should be considered as adjunctive therapy for biological treatment of recurrent HSV infections . Future research should address primary prevention of genital herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV infections.

Biodegradation, 1993-94, 4(4), 261 - 82
Microbiological aspects of the removal of chlorinated hydrocarbons from air; Dolfing J et al.; Chlorinated hydrocarbons are widely used synthetic chemicals that are frequently present in industrial emissions . Bacterial degradation has been demonstrated for several components of this class of compounds . Structural features that affect the degradability include the number of chlorine atoms and the presence of oxygen substituents . Biological removal from waste streams of compounds that serve as a growth substrate can relatively easily be achieved . Substrates with more chlorine substituents can be converted co-metabolically by oxidative routes . The microbiological principles that influence the biodegradability of chlorinated hydrocarbons are described . A number of factors that will determine the performance of microorganisms in systems for waste gas treatment is discussed . Pilot plant evaluations, including economics, of a biological trickling filter for the treatment of dichloromethane containing waste gas indicate that at least for this compound biological treatment is cost effective.

Am J Psychiatry, 1992 Dec, 149(12), 1633 - 44
Clinical and research implications of the diagnosis of dysphoric or mixed mania or hypomania; McElroy SL et al.; OBJECTIVE: The authors reviewed available evidence regarding the status of dysphoric or mixed mania as a distinct clinical state and formulated operational criteria for its diagnosis . METHOD: Studies of dysphoric mania or hypomania in patients with bipolar disorder were analyzed with regard to clinical characteristics, prevalence, demographic features, course of illness, outcome, family history, associated conditions, biological tests, and response to biological treatment . RESULTS: Although some studies suggest that dysphoric and nondysphoric mania are similar conditions, others suggest that, compared with nondysphoric mania, dysphoric mania may be more severe; more likely to occur in women; more likely to be associated with suicidality, a younger age at onset, a longer duration of illness, higher rates of personal and familial depression, concomitant alcohol or sedative-hypnotic abuse, neuropsychiatric abnormalities, and poorer outcome; more frequently associated with cortisol nonsuppression; and less likely to respond adequately to lithium but perhaps more likely to respond to ECT or anticonvulsants . CONCLUSIONS: Substantial evidence suggests that dysphoric mania may be a distinct affective state . Contrary evidence, however, suggests that dysphoric mania may be a form of typical mania, a stage-related or severe form of mania, or a transitional state between mania and depression . Because the evidence may be inconsistent because of varying definitions of dysphoric mania among studies, the authors propose preliminary operational diagnostic criteria for the future study of dysphoric mania.

Mutat Res, 1992 Dec, 298(2), 91 - 5
Mutagenic activity in wastewater concentrates from dye plants; Fracasso ME et al.; Wastewater concentrates from the wastewater treatment systems of three dye plants were tested for mutagenic activity in Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and Escherichia coli WP2uvrA using a fluctuation assay . Concentrates were prepared by passing samples of wastewater (5-6 or 30 litres) through two porous resins (XAD-2 and XAD-7) in series . S . typhimurium in the presence of microsomal activation proved to be the more sensitive marker of mutagenicity . Mutagenic responses were observed in concentrates from all three plants tested . The results show that mutagenic activity was particularly high in the incoming waters and increased after active, biological treatment . Physico-chemical treatment may be effective in decreasing mutagenic activity, but only if appropriately used.

J Psychosoc Nurs Ment Health Serv, 1992 Nov, 30(11), 21 - 6
The use of antidepressants with elderly patients; Gomez GE et al.; If we are to prevent treatment failures, we should eliminate the schism between psychosocial and biological treatments . Most depressed patients require both psychosocial and biological treatments . The patient who responds to biological treatment but does not make appropriate corrections regarding current environmental factors is at an increased risk for relapse . A strong support system can have an important preventive effect without the risks involved in long-term medication maintenance therapy . After a correct diagnosis of a major depressive disorder is made in elderly patients, the dosage of antidepressants should only be about half of the standard adult dose . Preference should be given to those antidepressants with a therapeutic profile appropriate to each particular patient . The antidepressant should have few side effects . Although antidepressant drugs are effective in treating depression, their demonstrable efficacy is surprisingly limited . Because of suicide risk and physical illnesses, older patients are more likely to require electroconvulsive therapy than younger patients . The presence of somatic delusion is a good predictor of positive response . Newer antidepressants have not been proven more effective than the older agents, such as imipramine or amitriptyline, in treating mild or severe depressions . However, they have fewer or varied side effects and therefore they are better tolerated by elderly patients (Figure 6) . The consideration of side effects is a major determinant in choosing an antidepressant for a specific elderly patient . Research into the effectiveness of antidepressants has been limited by the existence of heterogeneous groups of depression and by the different therapeutic responses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arch Psychiatr Nurs, 1992 Jun, 6(3), 183 - 8
Maintenance of therapeutic community principles in an age of biopharmacology and economic restraints; Watson J; The therapeutic community has changed significantly since its development in England more than 40 years ago . However, the hallmarks of the therapeutic milieu, such as patient participation in decision making, a multidisciplinary staff, and a belief that the environment is the treatment agent, remain part of many psychiatric settings . The therapeutic community will continue to undergo alteration to adapt to changes in society . It will continue to be a viable treatment modality as long as the value system of the organizational culture and the internal structure of the community are included as basic concepts . Systems theory and organizational culture concepts are used to explore the factors that enhance the functioning of a therapeutic community in an era of biological treatment and rising health care costs.

Br J Psychiatry, 1992 Apr, 160, 519 - 24
Moclobemide versus clomipramine in endogenous depression . A double-blind randomised clinical trial; Guelfi JD et al.; The effects of moclobemide (300-600 mg/day), a reversible monoamine oxidase inhibitor - A (MAOI-A), were compared in a double-blind, multi-centre trial with those of clomipramine (100-200 mg/day) on 129 in-patients suffering from endogenous depression (according to ICD-9 and the Newcastle Scale) . No significant differences in efficacy were seen between the two treatment groups . In the moclobemide group the mean scores on the MADRS were 36.4 on day 0 and 13.2 on day 42 (end-point analysis); scores were 37.4 and 10.9 respectively in the clomipramine group . An earlier onset of antidepressant activity was noted for moclobemide . Tolerability was significantly better for moclobemide, as shown by the Clinical Global Impression of Tolerance (CGIT) . Anticholinergic effects, weight gain and orthostatic hypotension were more frequent in the clomipramine group . No biological treatment-related changes were observed.

Oncology (Huntingt), 1992 Feb, 6(2 Suppl), 62 - 8
Pharmacology and organ toxicity of chemotherapy in older patients; Balducci L et al.; Age-related changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs, in functional reserve of target organs, and in tumor biology, may lessen the benefits and enhance the toxicity of cancer chemotherapy . These changes include progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate, enhanced risk and severity of mucositis and peripheral neuropathy, and increased incidence of refractory forms of acute myeloid leukemia . Myelotoxicity is also increased following aggressive combinations of cytotoxic drugs . While hormonal therapy is well tolerated, biological treatment with recombinant alpha interferon at doses higher than 5mU/daily may be associated with acute demential syndromes in persons over 65 . Tolerance of treatment may be improved by selecting alternative, safer drugs, antidotes to drug toxicity, and adjusting schedule and route of drug administration . A major advancement in supportive care has been the synthesis of hemopoietic growth factors, which are effective even in patients of advanced age.

ISA Trans, 1992, 31(1), 97 - 102
Generalized multiple-regression techniques with interaction and nonlinearity for system identification in biological treatment processes; Vaccari DA et al.; A class of multiple regression models, called "generalized multiple-regression" (GMR) is proposed . GMR has the advantages of being easy and rapid to fit, and uses standard multilinear regression software . It has an advantage over ARIMA models in modeling nonlinearity and linear and nonlinear interactions among variables . Its main disadvantage is that, if there are many independent variables, the reduction of degrees of freedom may be important . It is less parsimonious than other models, but availability of increased computational power makes this not a serious disadvantage . The GMR models are compared to autoregressive transfer function models and feedforward back propagation neural network models . In the case of modeling effluent volatile suspended solids, GMR models were superior to both linear autoregressive models and neural network models . The neural network models did, however, outperform the linear models . In the case of modeling sludge volume index, both GMR and the neural network model were unable to improve upon ARIMA models . It was concluded that ARIMA models may, in some cases, produce the most parsimonious model, but in other cases they may miss important process behaviors . The GMR models showed robust capability to describe complex data.

Gig Sanit, 1991 Oct, (10), 31 - 3
{Sanitary-hygienic assessment of microbial biofertilizer}; Arkhipchenko NA et al.; Biological treatment of sewage from pig-breeding complexes allowed to produce microbial biomass and primary sediments . The mixture of these components (1:1) after rendering harmless and drying out become the high effective biofertilizer . The results of chronic experiment on sanitary status of soil (microbial and helminthological indexes) under this biofertilizer usage are discussed, and the harmlessness of it is demonstrated.

Gig Sanit, 1991 Mar, (3), 16 - 8
{Hygienic prognosis of metal circulation in the ecological system of water reservoirs}; Krasovskii GN et al.; Studies of the circulation of mercury in various objects of the environment (water of reservoirs, bottom-reservoir sediment, flood-plain soil and the soil of agricultural lands irrigated with the water from the river and canal, water organisms, products of plant-growing etc.) in areas located downwards from the points of long-term discharge into the ecosystem of mercury with industrial wastes have been carried out, with the aim to establish real stress on the organism of people living within the basin of the reservoir . Discharge of mercury into water sources has been found with the warmed-up and industrial waste waters following mechanical and biological treatment at the plant producing synthetic rubber, with filtration waters from slime tanks and also secondary contamination of the water with mercury coming from bottom--reservoir sediment, and quantitative parameters of circulation of the chemical in the ecosystem of the reservoir basin . Intake of mercury into human organism under the conditions of formation of biogeochemical provinces in the reservoir basin (through water, fish, agricultural products) leads to the increase of the level of morbidity of the nervous system and a number of other diseases, which is associated both with the specific effects of the element and with the non-specific influence it produces as a result of decrease of general resistance of the organism.

Psychiatr Pol, 1991 Mar-Apr, 25(2), 190 - 5
Introduction to the organically based therapies; Vencovsky E; The author presents his whole-life experience with biological treatment of mental disorders . He qualified 50 years ago in 1933 and has been psychiatrist for 50 years . During his practice extending over half a century he tested personally and clinical work all biological therapeutic procedures in psychiatry, starting with treatment by pharmacogenic sleep, all types of shock therapy, psychosurgery, modern psychiatric pharmacotherapy as well as possibilities of contemporary prevention of psychiatric diseases by thymoprophylaxis . In this chapter the author presents a chronological review of different types and forms of biological therapy in psychiatry and his own views on the therapeutic effectiveness on different methods of biologically oriented psychiatric therapy.

J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry, 1991 Feb, 54(2), 178 - 81
Clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease . A report from the Medical Research Council Alzheimer's Disease Clinical Trials Committee; Swash M et al.; Recent advances in Alzheimer's disease imply a need for adequate clinical trials of new treatments which require careful design . The disorder is progressive and shows clinical heterogeneity . While large-scale trials of elderly subjects are appropriate in relation to assessment of drugs or other treatments designed to prevent progression of the disorder, the outcome measurements in such biological treatment trials require careful planning . Studies of individual patients are relevant for answering certain specific questions . Relatively short cross-over trial designs may be appropriate to some pharmacological studies . The choice of neuropsychological instruments for measuring change is critically important, particularly in excluding test/retest artefact and in avoiding floor and ceiling effects . Test scales designed for assessment of specific neuropsychological deficits, or forming part of standard IQ assessments are unlikely to prove robust . Tests can be selected and developed for individual patients, but generalisation of the results of such experiments to the disease as a whole is not inevitable . There is a need to develop psychological instruments for measuring change that are robust and relevant to the clinical problem of progressive dementia.

Ann Pharm Fr, 1991, 49(3), 115 - 26
{Some aspects of the management of house-hold refuse}; Festy B; Each day the average Frenchman produces near 1 kg of HHR, mainly paper and cardboard, vegetal and animal putrescible residues, glass, plastics, metals, ashes,.. . giving four important linked fractions of recyclable, biodegradable, combustible and inert matters . Production and precollection of HHR are of direct concern for the user, mainly in the collective housing; but the rubbish chute acts as a brake to the selective collection of HHR, which is one aspect of the valorization process of HHR, growing up in France . Three other treatments are used: combustion in plants with or without energy recovery, biological degradation of HHR as a compost used in agriculture, and dumping on or in the ground . All of them have advantages and disadvantages and then they must be used in complement of each other . The treatment units have some pollution effects on the environment and must be watched . Treatment refuses and solid, liquid or gaseous pollutants must be managed as much as HHR themselves . Three examples of collection-treatment-elimination french units are briefly described in Dunkerque (a mean town with selective collection), Bourgneuf-en-Mauges (a rural country with biological treatment and dumping) and Paris (a big town with a new incineration plan) . Then the state of the management of HHR in France in 1989 is described with special attention to collection (99.4% of the population), recovery of glass (25%) and paper-cardboard (42%) and authorized treatment (94%) as dumping (43%), incineration (40.5%) and biological (7.5%) . Accent is made about the importance of prevention (decrease of refuse production, way of consumption and life style, education of the masses) and of a good management of the HHR and of their treatment refuses and pollutants to limit environmental degradation.

Czas Stomatol, 1990 Aug, 43(8), 441 - 6
{Calcitonin in direct and indirect pulp capping}; Knychalska-Karwan Z et al.; Calcitonin, the hormone produced by C cells of the thyroid playing a great role in calcium homeostasis, was used for direct and indirect pulp capping . This procedure was done on 200 teeth . Late follow-up after 12, 18 and 24 months or even longer was obtained in 146 cases: 110 with indirect pulp capping and 36 with direct capping . In the first follow-up examination 7 cases were regarded as failures, in late follow-up 5 failures were found, thus the total failure rate was 3.8% . The usefulness of calcitonin for biological treatment of pulp is unquestionable.

An Esp Pediatr, 1990 Jun, 32(6), 513 - 7
{Anorexia nervosa in adolescents}; Tomas Vilaltella J et al.; We have made a revision of our casuistics, according DSM-III-R, between 1968 and 1988, of 53 cases . The ages go between 10 and 21 years, being the more frequent those from 13 to 15 years old . In the sample 5 males stand out . The most common symptomatology in the course of the disease was in its first phase: "prudent child", irritability or obsessions . In the second phase dominated phobias, obsessions, irritability, agitation and anxiety . And in the third phase we found more often: passiveness, inhibition, phobias and obsessions . As regards the treatment, individual psychotherapy was practised in 42 out of the 53 cases, with an evident improvement of personality . The environmental separation, circumstance we considered essential though not sufficient to cure the disease, was put in practice in 39 of the cases . And the biological treatment, generally through antidepressives, was administered to 44 patients, some of whom took more than one medication during the course of the treatment . The evolution was positive in 35 out of the 53 cases . Fifteen abandoned the treatment; and one suffered from a psychotic depression and the other two did not follow the recommended environmental separation.

Am J Psychother, 1990 Apr, 44(2), 232 - 46
Malpractice in psychotherapy: an overview; Conte HR et al.; This paper gives a capsule review of the major issues on the subject of malpractice for individual practitioners of psychotherapy . It examines the elements necessary to support a malpractice claim and presents examples of cases in specific areas of liability . Historically, the field of psychotherapeutic malpractice was largely inactive . However, recent court rulings reveal that psychotherapists are no longer immune to malpractice suits . In decreasing order of the likelihood of the plantiffs being successful in their suits are cases involving the misuse of the therapeutic relationship, breach of confidentiality, and cases that involve prevention of harm to third parties and to patients themselves . Malpractice suits based on negligence in providing appropriate treatment are beginning to emerge and will probably increase in frequency as the efficacy of biological treatment is demonstrated . Available solutions to the problems of malpractice are discussed . It is suggested that in addition to the existing external sanctions, there is a need for consultation plus educational programs to enhance our ability to practice within the boundaries that the courts have set for us.

Am J Psychiatry, 1990 Apr, 147(4), 409 - 18
The psychiatric patient's right to effective treatment: implications of Osheroff v . Chestnut Lodge; Klerman GL; Although Osheroff v . Chestnut Lodge never reached final court adjudication, the case generated widespread discussion in psychiatric, legal, and lay circles . The author served as a consultant to Dr . Osheroff and testified that Chestnut Lodge failed to follow through with appropriate biological treatment for its own diagnosis of depression, focusing instead on Dr . Osheroff's presumed personality disorder diagnosis and treating him with intensive long-term individual psychotherapy . The author suggests that this case involves the proposed right of the patient to effective treatment and that treatments whose efficacy has been demonstrated have priority over treatments whose efficacy has not been established.

Arkh Anat Gistol Embriol, 1990 Mar, 98(3), 59 - 64
{Morphofunctional characteristics of the myocardium and regional lymph nodes of the heart in experimental myocardial ischemia under the effect of radon water on the body}; Bikbulatov ZT et al.; A positive effect of radon baths (health resort "Belokurikha") has been stated on the course of restorative processes in the myocardium and regional lymph nodes of the heart at ischemic disease . An enhanced drainage activity of the lymph nodes revealed facilitates to a quick outflow of toxic lymph from the ischemic zone and, accordingly, to its biological treatment in the lymph nodes and contributes to a more complete restoration of the structure in the ischemia-damaged area of the myocardium.

Ther Umsch, 1990 Mar, 47(3), 233 - 40
{Recent aspects of biological treatment of depression}; Poldinger W; The problem of the so-called 'therapy-resistant depressions' or, as we prefer to say, 'depressions that are difficult to treat', is discussed . After paying particular attention to the infusion therapy, we deal with nonpharmacological treatments like sleep deprivation and light-therapy . Functional psychopathology and functional target syndromes, illustrated with the serotonin deficiency syndrome, are further topics . The use of low-dose high-potency neuroleptics in the treatment of affective disorders is covered . Finally, we point to the concept of 'neurasthenia' which seems to gain popularity anew.

Schweiz Rundsch Med Prax, 1990 Feb 27, 79(9), 243 - 6
{Dr . Sklenar's Kombucha mushroom infusion--a biological cancer therapy . Documentation No . 18}; Hauser SP; Kombucha, a fungal infusion, is a 'symbiotic mixture' of bacteria, yeasts, tea and sugar . A number of components are listed, but exact analyses are not published . On the basis of 'thorough detoxification', Kombucha is claimed to be a prophylactic and therapeutic agent in countless diseases, such as rheumatism, intestinal disorders, ageing and cancer . All 'stages of the Sklenar blood picture' have to be treated with Kombucha Drink, Kombucha Drops, coli preparations and Gelum oral-rd for a period of months . A litre-bottle costs 13 DM, the blood analysis 150 Sfr . In the 1960's Dr . R . Sklenar developed a 'biological cancer therapy with Kombucha as the main agent' and his own system of diagnosing cancer . Sklenar's diagnosis of cancer is based on iris diagnosis and demonstration of the causative organism by means of a 'Blood picture according to Dr . Sklenar' . He claims, on one hand, that cancer is only one of the many metabolic diseases and, on the other, that viruses, in his view parasitic microorganisms in general, are responsible for the pathogenesis of cancer . No preclinical and nor investigations are available, as 'success has proved him (Dr . Sklenar) to be right' . The seven 'case histories' described have no solid medical data . There is so far no evidence to support the claim that Kombucha offers 'effective biological treatment of cancer'.

J Basic Microbiol, 1990, 30(2), 115 - 41
Mechanisms of bacterial degradation and transformation of chlorinated monoaromatic compounds; Haggblom M; Chloroaromatics are xenobiotic compounds of environmental concern . They can be removed from the environment by (bio)degradation or by (bio)transformation . Recognition of the mechanisms and requirements of their biodegradation is of cardinal importance for understanding the fate of these chemicals in the environment, and for developing methods for biological treatment of wastes containing compounds of this type . Cleavage of the carbon-halogen bond is the critical step in degradation of chloroaromatics . As exemplified with chlorophenols, chlorobenzoates and chlorobenzenes in this review, two distinct strategies are employed by bacteria for degradation of chlorinated aromatic compounds: the particular chlorine substituents are removed either directly from the aromatic ring (as an initial step in degradation) or after oxygenative ring cleavage (from chlorinated aliphatic intermediates) . Direct elimination of chlorine substituents from the aromatic ring occurs by displacement with either hydroxyl groups (hydrolytically or oxygenolytically) or hydrogen atoms (reductive dechlorination) . Dechlorinations of the latter type require reducing power and are significant in anaerobic environments, but have also been observed with strictly aerobic bacteria . Various biotransformation reactions, with only minor alteration of the parent compound, are an alternative to biogradation . Two environmentally significant transformation reactions discussed here are O-methylation and O-demethylation . The capability to O-methylate chlorinated hydroxybenzenes seems to be widespread in bacteria . O-Methylation is an environmentally important transformation reaction, since methylation increases the lipophilicity of the compound and thus the potential for bioaccumulation . Bacterial O-demethylation of chlorinated methoxylated compounds has been observed under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Cesk Psychiatr, 1989 Oct, 85(5), 316 - 21
{An attempt to define the therapeutic goals in sex deviants}; Zverina J; The comprehensive adaptational therapy of sexual deviations comprises a social, psychological and biological component . The centre of gravidity as regards work with these patients is individual psychotherapy supplemented by group therapy . The main aims of this treatment are: 1 . The provision and supplementation of knowledge on normal and deviant sexuality . 2 . Modification of the patient's attitude to sexuality . 3 . Obtaining insight into the sexual deviation . 4 . Adaptation of the patient to his deviation, elaboration of an individual sexual ideology . 5 . Inhibition of sexual activity by short-term or long-term biological treatment . The components of treatment are selected on an individual basis.

Int Clin Psychopharmacol, 1989 Jul, 4(3), 217 - 28
Treatment of resistant depression . Review on the efficacy of various biological treatments, specifically in major depression resistant to cyclic antidepressants; Nolen WA et al.; The biological treatment of depression includes administration of psychoactive drugs (cyclic antidepressants, MAO-inhibitors, neuroleptics and lithium), use of certain substances which in small amounts are normally present in food such as, L-tryptophan (L-TP) and L-5-hydroxytryptophan (L-5HTP), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and various manipulations of the sleep-wake rhythms . This paper reviews the literature on the efficacy of these treatments in patients resistant to earlier adequate treatment(s) with cyclic antidepressants . Subsequently the following strategy for the biological treatment of (non-psychotic) major depression is suggested: (1) administration of a cyclic antidepressant; (2) if after a period of 4 to 6 weeks a patient has not responded to an adequate dose, another cyclic antidepressant should be tried, adding lithium if the patient still does not respond; (3) MAO-inhibitors and (4) ECT . In psychotic depression the suggestions for the first, third and fourth steps are the same . In the second step, the cyclic antidepressant should be combined with a neuroleptic.

Rev Chir Oncol Radiol O R L Oftalmol Stomatol Ser Stomatol, 1989 Apr-Jun, 36(2), 99 - 108
{Anatomo-clinical studies on contraindications of biological treatment of the dental pulp in some chronic general diseases}; Gafar M et al.; Anatomoclinical studies have been carried out on tissue samples obtained from patients with various chronic general diseases including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, kidney diseases, liver diseases, acute and chronic leukemias, that had developed before the time when biologic therapy of the dental pulp had been recommended . In the presence of lesions of various severities of the dental pulp direct application of various biological techniques may trigger violent reactions, just as if the biological substances would represent deleterious factors . Vascular changes, followed by reactional responses in various stages of trophic changes, or dysplasia in the dental pulp, as demonstrated by microscopical studies show a certain degree of deterioration of the dental pulp which are counterindicative for biological therapy . When degenerative lesions of the pulpal connective structures, and vascular-nervous complex have occurred, or when leukemic invading processes have been identified biological therapy is completely counterindicated.

Schriftenr Ver Wasser Boden Lufthyg, 1989, 80, 379 - 90
Developments in in situ biorestoration of contaminated soil and groundwater in the Netherlands; Staps JJ; This paper considers the actual state of the art of in-situ biorestoration of contaminated soil and groundwater in the Netherlands . After a description of the relevant research programme, some research projects are described . These concern stimulation of biodegradation by means of venting and circulation of water for addition of oxygen and nutrients . Furthermore, some information about treatment of contaminated soil and groundwater on full scale is given . For groundwater, some activities on research of biological treatment systems for specific pollutants are mentioned.

Schriftenr Ver Wasser Boden Lufthyg, 1989, 80, 345 - 65
Biotechnology for in situ restoration of ground water contaminated by the petroleum industry; Thomas JM et al.; As a result of increasing incidents of ground water contamination, several methods to restore polluted aquifers have been developed . These include 1) physical containment, 2) hydrodynamic controls, 3) withdrawal and treatment, 4) in situ physical and chemical treatment, and 5) in situ biological treatment . The fifth technology, in situ biological treatment (in situ biorestoration), is an innovative technique which involves the use of the indigenous subsurface microflora to degrade ground water pollutants . The most important factor in successful application of the process is the presence of metabolically appropriate microorganisms in a perfusable aquifer . As a result of the high levels of carbonaceous material contaminating the subsurface as petroleum waste, nutrients such as oxygen, phosphorus, and nitrogen are often limiting . Stimulation of the microflora is therefore achieved by perfusing the aquifer with the limiting nutrients; the nutrients must be transported to the zone of contamination to be effective . Aquifers with high clay contents and low permeabilities are not good candidates for in situ biorestoration systems nor other treatment strategies which involve plume management using well systems . In conclusion, in situ biorestoration is an innovative technique that can be used to remediate contaminated aquifers which are permeable and contain a metabolically active microflora; in contrast to other remedial methods, the contamination can be completely destroyed rather than transferred to another part of the environment.

Zh Nevropatol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 1989, 89(11), 96 - 100
{Psychosomatic disorders of the colon}; Korkina MV et al.; The clinical and experimental psychological examination of 90 patients with the syndrome of the excitable colon has demonstrated that this pathology is a typical psychosomatic disorder . The dynamics of the disorder may involve three stages: psychosomatic reactions, psychosomatic cycles and psychopathization . The treatment of the syndrome should be conducted in accordance with the disease stage . At the stage of psychosomatic reactions, the treatment is to be oriented mainly to the psychotherapeutic action . The combination of amitriptyline (antidepressant and antidiarrheal effects) with teralen or phrenolon (antialgic effect) turned out most effective at the stage of the psychosomatic cycles . Psychotherapy administered in different varieties also appeared more effective when coupled with biological treatment . It is necessary that behavioral correctors (neuleptide) be included into drug treatment at the stage of psychopathization . In this case the role of psychotherapy slightly decreases . All the stages require the use of therapeutic means effecting motor function of the intestine and enzymatic system of the body.

Microbiol Sci, 1988 Jun, 5(6), 186 - 90
Biotechnological treatment of industrial waste water; Wyatt JM; The production of toxic or recalcitrant waste effluents by the chemical industry is leading to major problems of their disposal . New biotechnological approaches are now being used which will enable biological treatment of these wastes and will, in future, replace existing methods of effluent treatment.

Br J Psychiatry, 1988 May, 152, 657 - 9
Predicting the response of depressed patients to biological treatment: the dexamethasone suppression test versus clinical judgement; Myers ED; A dexamethasone suppression test (DST) was carried out in a heterogeneous sample of 174 depressed patients . In a subsample of 130 patients in whom biological antidepressive treatment had been commenced either because of an initial clinical judgement of 'endogenicity' or because of subsequent evidence of DST non-suppression, the response to treatment was globally assessed . The results showed no significant differences between the two groups in the numbers of patients responding favorably to treatment . The positive predictive value of DST non-suppression for a favourable response was no higher than that of clinical judgement, and there was little difference between the sensitivity and specificity of the two predictors.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1988 Feb, 54(2), 309 - 16
Assessment of recovery efficiency of beef extract reagents for concentrating viruses from municipal wastewater sludge solids by the organic flocculation procedure; Safferman RS et al.; This study was designed to assess the capacity of beef extract reagents to form flocs suitable for virus adsorption . Reagent comparisons resulted in the establishment of a modified organic flocculation procedure to concentrate viruses desorbed from sewage sludge solids with currently available modified powdered beef extracts . The method, based on supplementation with paste beef extract floc, achieved virus recoveries comparable to those obtained with powdered beef extract produced before a 1979 change in the manufacturing process . When primary settled sludge solids originating from mostly domestic waste were eluted with an unsupplemented modified powdered beef extract, high virus recovery efficiency was observed upon concentration by organic flocculation . This appreciable increase might have been due to floc-forming substances that were present in the primary settled sludge . These substances did not appear to be present in settled sludge collected from biologically treated wastes . Apparently, the floc-forming substances had been either removed or substantially altered during biological treatment.

Basic Life Sci, 1988, 45, 307 - 22
Environmental concerns associated with the design of genetic engineering facilities; Watt JC et al.; Recombinant DNA technology is being used to produce a wide spectrum of products, such as vaccines, interferon, insulin, and growth hormones . In the design of facilities employing this technology, critical consideration must be given to the protection of the environment, both in the prevention of releases of recombinant DNA organisms into the environment and in the treatment of wastes originating from the production facilities . The design requirements for containment of large-scale systems are complex and require detailed analysis to insure that the containment system can handle both the normal and emergency releases of recombinant DNA organisms . This must include the prevention of releases through either liquid discharges or air emissions . The "killing" method used in the process for either the cells (extracellular product) or the broth (intracellular product) is an important step and can have significant implications in downstream treatment of wastewaters . Since fermentation is the primary process used in the production of recombinant DNA products, wastewater characteristics from this area of the process are basically similar to those of other fermentation processes . They differ, however, because of the "killing" step in the process, which can introduce compounds not normally found in fermentation wastewaters . This can complicate the treatment process by requiring additional treatment operations . Characteristics of wastewaters from other areas of the process can be very diverse, and no general characterization can be made . Techniques for recovery and purification can vary from product to product or even from plant to plant, making characterization difficult . It is important, therefore, that each process be examined in detail so that waste characterization is meaningful and useful in the design of treatment facilities . Because of the complex nature of the processes involved in the production of recombinant DNA products, wastewater treatment can also become a very complex problem . Systems to treat these wastewaters can include many diverse unit operations, from pretreatment of selected streams to tertiary treatment of the combined streams to meet stringent effluent criteria . While biological treatment is almost always applicable, waste loads are very high, and multiple-stage systems could be required . Early and ongoing interface between the process development scientists and engineers and the environmental disciplines allows for the early recognition of potential environmental problems . With early recognition, many of these problems can be economically and efficiently addressed in the design of the facility.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Sci Total Environ, 1987 Oct, 66, 1 - 16
Diethylhexylphthalate as an environmental contaminant--a review; Wams TJ; Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) is a priority pollutant in several countries; annual production amounts to 3-4 million tonnes . Approximately 95% is used as a plasticizer in polyvinylchloride (PVC) . DEHP is emitted to the environment during the production of plastics and plastic products, during their use and after disposal . In the environment, physico-chemical degradation of DEHP is practically non-existent . Biodegradation occurs readily under aerobic conditions (t1/2 = 2-4 weeks), but not under anaerobic conditions . The acute toxicity of DEHP to mammals is low . Many subchronic and chronic effects have, however, been identified . The most important of these are: influence on the liver and energy metabolism, teratogenicity, adverse effects on male reproductive organs, carcinogenicity and influence on the immune system . On the basis of figures concerning human exposure, most of these effects are not likely to occur . With respect to carcinogenicity the situation is uncertain, especially for some risk groups . The ecotoxicology of DEHP is especially relevant for aquatic communities where data are contradictory: several authors have found adverse effects on Daphnia and fish species after exposure to the present environmental concentrations; others, however, produced less alarming results . Emissions of DEHP can be reduced by the biological treatment of wastewater and waste gas, the use of alternative plasticizers in PVC or the substitution of other plastics for PVC.

Antibiot Med Biotekhnol, 1987 Mar, 32(3), 214 - 8
{Comparative evaluation of mathematical models of the process for the biological treatment of the wastes from antibiotic manufacture}; Vavilin VA et al.; The main kinetic relationships of the process of biological oxidation of antibiotic production sewage were studied in laboratory models of mixer aerotanks . A relationship between the specific rates of BOD (biological oxygen demand) decreasing and BOD concentration in aerotanks was developed on the basis of the results relating to treatment of 8 types of the sewage within the ranges of the pure water BOD equal to 18-220 mg/l and the loads of 0.18-3.85 g BOD/g X day . To describe this relationship the following models were tested for their adequacy: Michaelis-Menten and Mozer models, a general model and a model of the first order reaction equation . The Mozer model with the relative root-mean-square deviation of 18.3 per cent proved to be the best in description of wide ranges of pure water BOD changing . The first order model with deviation of 12 per cent was the best in describing the process with low loads.

Psychiatry, 1987 Feb, 50(1), 83 - 7
The double life of a psychiatrist: role changes between hospital and office; Schwartz RS; There is a tension in the life of a psychiatrist who combines inpatient work with the practice of outpatient psychotherapy . The tension is not a new one, but it was once more easily ignored and did not actively interfere with a young psychiatrist gaining comfort with his or her skills as a psychotherapist . A decade ago, the socially dominant (if erroneous) image of a psychiatrist was someone who practiced psychotherapy . It was seen as the core of what a psychiatrist did . If a psychiatrist was interested in psychotherapy, he might wonder how other activities affected this core identity, but the goal of defining a professional identity around the practice of psychotherapy was relatively straight-forward . The situation is very different today . The change is due largely to two related factors: the major advances in biological psychiatry and the dramatic increase in nonpsychiatrist psychotherapists . Most psychiatric residents today either see their primary identity as based clearly on biological treatment, or else they are left feeling a bit confused . Being a psychotherapist no longer seems central to being a psychiatrist . The practice of psychotherapy therefore no longer provides a clear sense of professional identity . Yet many psychiatric residents are interested in psychotherapy and will be doing it throughout their careers . The question of how to do so comfortably while pursuing other psychiatric activities has a renewed urgency . A first step is to clarify the nature of the tension.

Arq Gastroenterol, 1987 Jan-Mar, 24(1), 41 - 5
{Biological treatment of depressive syndromes in general practice}; Franco Filho HC et al.; The authors describes situations in general practice when physicians who are not trained in Psychiatry are supposed to treat depressed clients . Educational needs of physicians who are involved in the treatment of depressive syndromes in general medical practice are discussed in order to avoid common errors in the treatment of depressed patients . Guidelines for selection of appropriate interventions are highlighted.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 May, 49(5), 1080 - 3
Biotransformation of tetrachloroethylene to trichloroethylene, dichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and carbon dioxide under methanogenic conditions; Vogel TM et al.; Tetrachloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), common industrial solvents, are among the most frequent contaminants found in groundwater supplies . Due to the potential toxicity and carcinogenicity of chlorinated ethylenes, knowledge about their transformation potential is important in evaluating their environmental fate . The results of this study confirm that PCE can be transformed by reductive dehalogenation to TCE, dichloroethylene, and vinyl chloride (VC) under anaerobic conditions . In addition, {14C}PCE was at least partially mineralized to CO2 . Mineralization of 24% of the PCE occurred in a continuous-flow fixed-film methanogenic column with a liquid detention time of 4 days . TCE was the major intermediate formed, but traces of dichloroethylene isomers and VC were also found . In other column studies under a different set of methanogenic conditions, nearly quantitative conversion of PCE to VC was found . These studies clearly demonstrate that TCE and VC are major intermediates in PCE biotransformation under anaerobic conditions and suggest that potential exists for the complete mineralization of PCE to CO2 in soil and aquifer systems and in biological treatment processes.

Wien Klin Wochenschr, 1985 Feb 15, 97(4), 212 - 5
{Behavior and cognitive therapies in depression}; Zapotoczky HG; Behavioural and cognitive therapeutic strategies follow a multidimensional pathogenetic model of depression . The different approaches are more successful when well planned and depend on the combination of various techniques . Their rationale is based on the common approach that the patient must be convinced that he is able to control his cognition, behaviour and, also, his depression . By training in skills he should be in the position of improving the quality of life and behavioural reactions thereby avoiding sinking into depression . Behavioural and cognitive methods are useful in increasing compliance with medical prescriptions; sometimes they prevent the premature termination of biological treatment when compliance is especially poor . Through cognitive-behavioural approaches the discussion on nosology and course of depression is enlarged . An episodic course of depression is usually characterized by an underlying anxiety state and loss of reinforcers; attention to these factors may lead to new therapeutic strategies.

Psychopathology, 1985, 18(2-3), 133 - 9
Nosological status of endogenous anxiety: 'anxious thymopathy' revisited; Lopez-Ibor JJ Jr; In 1950 Lopez Ibor described a nosological entity called anxious thymopathy ('timopatia ansiosa') . The origin of his description was the observation of recoveries of neurotic patients during psychotherapy which were not directly related to the psychodynamic process . Such a spontaneous fading of neurotic anxiety was suspected to be of an endogenous character . This led to the description of a vital anxiety, a mood disturbance similar to Schneider's {1950} vital sadness present in endogenous depressions . Normal and pathological (vital) anxiety were thought to be different, vital anxiety having a biological origin, so that biological treatment was applied to it . In the course of the years, Lopez Ibor came to the conclusion that anxious thymopathy was not an independent nosological entity, rather that vital (also called endothymic) anxiety was an element present in all forms of neurotic disorders integrated with personality and biographical factors . This research led to the concept of neuroses as mood disorders {Lopez Ibor, 1966}.

Appl Environ Microbiol, 1985 Jan, 49(1), 46 - 53
Kinetics of microbial growth on pentachlorophenol; Klecka GM et al.; Batch and fed-batch experiments were conducted to examine the kinetics of pentachlorophenol utilization by an enrichment culture of pentachlorophenol-degrading bacteria . The Haldane modification of the Monod equation was found to describe the relationship between the specific growth rate and substrate concentration . Analysis of the kinetic parameters indicated that the maximum specific growth rate and yield coefficients are low, with values of 0.074 h-1 and 0.136 g/g, respectively . The Monod constant (Ks) was estimated to be 60 micrograms/liter, indicating a high affinity of the microorganisms for the substrate . However, high concentrations (KI = 1,375 micrograms/liter) were shown to be inhibitory for metabolism and growth . These kinetic parameters can be used to define the optimal conditions for the removal of pentachlorophenol in biological treatment systems.

Int J Psychiatry Med, 1985-86, 15(2), 111 - 24
Empirical study on an inpatient psychogeriatric unit: biological treatment in patients with depressive illness; Meyers BS et al.; A study of 112 psychogeriatric admissions identified seventy patients sufficiently depressed to require biologic treatment . Twenty-four patients completed a primary treatment trial with TCA's and seventeen with ECT . ECT proved to be more effective, (81.4% versus 62.5%), even though overtly psychotic and medically unstable patients preferentially received this treatment . The ECT response rate is comparable to other reports of its efficacy in the treatment of delusional depression . A higher morbidity rate of 27 percent in the TCA-treated group was observed . The authors conclude that ECT is a highly beneficial treatment modality for the carefully selected elderly patient with major depressive illness . They found that a higher number of ECT treatments than expected were required in their psychogeriatric patients, but did not find a higher morbidity other than increased confusion with more treatments . Careful repeated assessment of response to treatment combined with readiness for assertiveness, in spite of the advanced age of the patient, seem to be indicated . Conversely, excessive hesitance when caring for the elderly patient may lead to a premature termination of treatment, causing the patient to remain in a chronic mentally compromised state.

Boll Ist Sieroter Milan, 1984 Mar, 63(1), 1 - 13
{From biotechnology to bacterial toxins and immunomodulators}; Bizzini B; The disposal of industrial wastes has been recognized as a serious problem long before the ecological movement gained its present strength . The possibility of using "useful" bacteria for this purpose was considered rather early and numerous studies were made to use them for the biological treatment of industrial wastes . Such attempts have taken advantage of the development of large scale fermentors for the production of bacteria while at the same time they have stimulated progress in the technology of fermentors . The advances made in the technology of fermentors have also made possible the large scale production of pathogenic bacteria . This has made possible the production of bacterial toxins in adequate amounts, enabling investigators to purify them to homogeneity, to characterize the purified toxins physico-chemically and immunologically and to study their structure-function relationships . Similarly, large quantities of bacteria exhibiting specific biological activities could be produced and the constituents responsible for the activities of these bacteria could be isolated and characterized . In this paper, the Author describes the stages of his progress and processes through the fields of the biotechnology and toxinology to that of immunomodulators . His investigations have largely taken advantage of developments in the technology of fermentors . "Ecologic" bacteria have been isolated which are capable of using phenol as the only source of carbon or cyanides as the sole source of carbon and nitrogen . These bacteria have been used for the treatment of industrial wastes enriched either with phenol or with cyanides . Another type of "useful" bacteria investigated was Bifidibacterium bifidus which has a fundamental role in the economy of the breast-fed infant . B . bifidus is present only in the gut of infants fed with mothers-milk . Growth factors for B . bifidus have been isolated from casein hydrolyzates which permitted the implantation of B . bifidus in the gut of infants fed with cows-milk supplemented with these factors . A further development of this type of research has been the large scale production of toxigenic bacteria . As a result large quantities of tetanus toxin have been produced and a method of purification has been devised . The availability of large amounts of purified tetanus toxin made it possible to determine the physico-chemical characteristics of the toxin as well as some of its structure-function relationships . In addition, the mechanism of detoxification of protein toxins by the action of formaldehyde has been clarified . Enzymatically derived toxin fragments have also been purified.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Basic Life Sci, 1984, 28, 215 - 28
Needs and strategies for genetic control: municipal wastes; Rittmann BE; Municipal wastewater, sludge, and refuse constitute major material flows and area of public concern . Substantial lists of desired improvements in the biological treatment of each waste can be formulated . Many improvements can be brought about by better application of biological and process fundamentals; widespread application of good process control and existing microorganisms is still not a reality . Nevertheless, several improvements seem amenable to genetic control techniques . Whether the genetic control technique involves selection of a novel microorganism or genetic manipulation of conventional or novel microorganisms, two key requirements stand out . First, we must recognize the physiological factor that provides the desired function . Second, we must recombine the genes for the desired function into a microorganism that can thrive in a treatment process . For environmental applications, identifying the physiological effect and an appropriate microorganism are the most critical steps . However, they are probably the least well developed, as biochemists and genetic engineers have concentrated mainly on isolating, recombining, and expressing relatively well known genes into convenient laboratory strains . Because of the many different steps associated with applications of genetic control to municipal-waste treatment, the successful application requires coordination of biochemistry, microbiology, and process engineering . No one discipline has all the requisite tools and insight to do the whole job.

J Chromatogr, 1983 Nov 25, 279, 189 - 98
Occurrence of low- and high-chlorinated phenols in municipal sewage before and after passing through biological treatment plants; Folke J et al.; Four biological treatment plants for municipal sewage, situated at different locations, were examined for their chlorophenol content and their ability to degrade these compounds . A routine method for the analysis of both low- and high-chlorinated phenols was developed, based on gas chromatography with electron-capture detection (GC-ECD) . The method was evaluated by comparing the GC-ECD results with those obtained by combined gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with selected-ion monitoring of the molecular ions of the specific phenols . The total phenol content, determined by GC-ECD showed a good correlation with the phenol number, obtained by using the 4-aminoantipyrine method.

Gan To Kagaku Ryoho, 1983 Jul, 10(7), 1591 - 7
{Anti-angiogenesis, a possible new modality of cancer treatment}; Fukushima M; During the past decade a number of pioneering knowledge of neovascularization induced by neoplasm have been accumulated and a clinical application of anti-angiogenesis treatment seems to be launched within very near future . While the most Japanese research workers in the medical field are still dreaming of immunological approaches to cancers . But now we should stand on the wide view of basic biology of cancer and open searches for newer attacking targets of cancers . Such a newer modality may be included in biological treatment against not only tumor growth but also invasion, angiogenesis, and metastasis . As an example of a search for newer attacking target of cancer, here I proposed a view point regarding tumor angiogenesis as a symbiotic system of tumor cells and endothelial cells and I reviewed briefly on recent aspects of angiogenesis and anti-angiogenesis, introducing works of Drs . Folkman, Fenselau, Kumar, Weiss, Rifkin, Langer, Eisenstein, Gullino, and others . I hope this short review may attract many more research workers to the "virgin" field of angiogenesis.

Am J Psychiatry, 1981 Jan, 138(1), 1 - 13
The symptoms of major depressive illness; Nelson JC et al.; The authors suggest that the common characteristics of various descriptions of major depressive illness--endogenous, endogenomorphic, psychotic, and melancholic--are an autonomous course, a need for biological treatment, and a presumed alteration in neurochemistry . The literature is reviewed to determine those symptoms which best characterize this syndrome . These symptoms may prove useful in developing valid diagnostic criteria for major depressive illness.

Zentralbl Bakteriol Mikrobiol Hyg {B}, 1981, 173(3-4), 266 - 72
Removal of indicator organisms by chemical treatment of wastewater; De Zutter L et al.; Recently a new chemical wastewater treatment process based upon precipitation of proteins by sodium lignosulphonate under acid conditions is used to purify the wastewater from slaughterhouses and poultry processing plants . In order to determine the reduction of indicator organisms due to this treatment process, influent and effluent samples from two of such plants (plant A in a pig slaughterhouse and plant B in a poultry processing plant) were examined . The results demonstrated that the pH used in the process, has a considerable influence on the reduction of the indicator organisms . On the first sampling day in plant A the initial working-pH was 4 and the corresponding reduction of the different microorganisms varied from 0.7 to 1.5 log . According to the decrease of the pH to 2.3, the reduction increased to a minimum of at least 1.9 and a maximum of at least 4.5 log . In the other samples from this plant (working-pH 2.4) the elimination ranged from 1.8 to 4.0 log . In plant B, the removal of the indicator organisms brought about by a working-pH of 3.0 ranged from 2.1 to 3.1 log . The results showed that in comparison with the biological treatment processes this chemical wastewater treatment process realized a significant greater removal of indicator organisms.

Encephale, 1981, 7(3), 225 - 34
{Psychological effects of neuroleptics (author's transl)}; Ginestet D; The short term activity of neuroleptics allows the possibility to distinguish between: 1 - their instictive-affective effects which can, according to the case, either diminish agitation, vigilance, aggressivity, anxiety and mood, or the disinhibitors in case of anti-autistic action; 2 - their effects reducing hallucinations and delusions . After 6 months, and more, in the case of schizophrenia or other psychotic evolution, the preventive effect on psychotic relapses appears as unquestionable to many psychiatrists even though there do exist discrepancies in controlled studies . A regularly administrated treatment reveals the possibility of a favorable evolution with a restitution of social and hedonic capacities . Indeed, although the patients behave in a neurotic or psychopathic way, there is no indication that they are to shift from their psychotic structure . We think it necessary to find new trends in the biological treatment of psychosis when unpredictable neurological or endocrinal side-effects occur, or when too numerous patients to remain neuroleptic-resistant.

Zh Nevropatol Psikhiatr Im S S Korsakova, 1980, 80(6), 909 - 14
{Intensive therapy of endogenous psychoses}; Vovin RIa et al.; A reduction of hospital stay facilitates the readaptation of mental patients . One of the conditions for implementing short hospitalization is the intensity of biological treatment: intravenous drip administration of drugs with a rapid increase of doses, rapid neuroleptization, and combination of psychotropic drugs with methods of a general biological influence . A study of 100 patients treated by the routine way demonstrated that intensive therapy significantly reduces the time of hospitalization and promotes remissions . The studies showed that intensive therapy is desirable only in acute psychoses and during the early stages of its development.

Am J Psychiatry, 1978 Nov, 135(11), 1384 - 7
A look at psychiatric decision making; Roberts B; The author reviews the efforts of medicine and psychiatry to understand their decision-making processes and notes the lack of psychiatric literature in this area . The decision table, a sophisticated form of algorithm, is introduced as a structure to help explain the decision-making process . This tool is applied to the evaluation and biological treatment of depression . Decision tables can be used as an educational tool, a method to facilitate the delivery of mental health care, a method to monitor the quality of treatment, and as a research tool.

Acta Psychiatr Belg, 1977 Mar-Apr, 77(2), 254 - 9
Treatment of the "syndrome of doubles"; Christodoulou GN; An account of the response to biological treatment of 20 patients with the syndrome of doubles (syndrome of Capgras, syndrome of Fregoli, syndrome of Intermetamorphosis, syndrome of subjective doubles) is presented . Our observations indicate that: a) the syndrome of doubles may respond to various biological treatment methods; b) in the setting of depression it responds to tricyclic antidepressants; c) in the setting of schizophrenia or organic psychosis it usually responds to neurolytics; d) in a schizophrenic setting it has more chances of responding to trifluoperazine either given alone or in association with other psychopharmaca, and, e) in certain cases combination of antipsychotic treatment with treatment of co-existing organic dysfunction appears to be important.

Prensa Med Mex, 1975 Jul-Aug, 40(7-8), 221 - 32
{Biological treatment of psychoses}; Perez de Francisco C; The role of the therapeutic posibilities as "psycopharmacologic revolution" agree us to understand the great importance that the psychiatry has in the general practice, five years far from the begining of its scientific era . Inspired in Deniker the author of this paper make a classification of psycotrope drugs and in base of it he review some important topics of psychopharmacology.

What Is Staphylococcus Aureus?, What Is Nitrification?, What Is MIC?, What Is Anthrax?, What Is Pcr?, i, Microbe, c, Microbiology, r, Bacteriology, a, Microbes, a, Microorganism, o, Streptococci, n, Cell suspensions, n, Clostridia, o, Bacteriophages, c, Haemophilus, s, Eubacter, r, Microbial, c, Bacteriological, e, Microorganism, r, Bacteria, c, Erythromycin, i, Microbiological, c, Microorganism, c, Escherichia coli, s, Staphylococcus, s, Haemophilus, e, Corynebacter, r, Bacillus subtilis, c, Multidrug resistant, e, Antibiotics, r, Streptococcal

Scientific Publications - Work Done by Microbiology Reader Bioscreen C
Agricultural Microbiology Anaerobic Microbiology Antimicrobial Susceptibility Artificial Atmosphere Bioassay of Antibiotics Biofilm Microbiology Bioreactor Technology Biotechnology Cell Biology Clinical Microbiology Environmental Microbiology Experiments with Yeast	Fermentation Food Microbiology Functional Genomics Gene Technology Growth Media Development Growth Rate and Lag Time Industrial Microbiology Medical/Pharmaceutical Field Microbiological Assay Microbiological Research Microbiology of Cosmetics go to a specific theme...	Military Microbiology Molecular Microbiology Mutagenicity and Genotoxicity Oral Microbiology Patents Postantibiotic Studies Soil Microbiology Spore Microbiology Veterinary Microbiology Waste/Wastewater Treatment Water Microbiology Wine Microbiology

� 2005 Transgalactic Ltd (manufacturer of Bioscreen C software) | Privacy Statement | P.O. Box 1393, 00101 Helsinki, Finland, phone: +358 9 85172920, fax: +358 9 8749481, e-mail: microbiology@bionewsonline.com

Last modified: May 25, 2005