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Patients with acute brain injury have been excluded in the majority of the randomized clinical trials which evaluated a lung protective strategy in patients with acute respiratory failure. It remains unclear if low tidal volume, higher PEEP levels and recruitment maneuvers by increasing both the intracranial and intrathoracic pressure and by leading to a permissible hypercapnia could furthermore deteriorate the acute brain injury and the final outcome. Mechanical power has been associated with the outcome in ARDS patients without brain injury. Jiang et al. demonstrated in neurocritical patients that non-survivors had a higher mechanical power compared to survivors. Mechanical power was associated with an increase in intensive care mortality risk and also to an enhanced risk of hospital mortality, prolonged intensive care length of stay and fewer ventilatory free days; in addition, the mechanical power could better predict mortality compared to the Glasgow Coma Scale.

Askin tumor is an uncommon malignant neoplasm of the thoracopulmonary region mainly occurring in children and adolescents. In this case, Computed Tomography (CT1) imaging features of Askin tumor and differential diagnosis criteria with others possible chest neoplasms are presented.

Burst abdomen, incisional hernias and stomal hernias : a Swedish population-based register study

Objective : To investigate the response of HIV-associated severe thrombocytopenia (STP) to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) including protease-inhibitors. Methods : In this retrospective study, 15 patients with HIV-associated STP (platelet count 9 /l), mostly antiretroviral experienced (13/15), underwent HAART for at least 6 months (median 21; range 6–41 months) during which the platelet (PLT) count and plasmatic HIV-RNA were monitored. The PLT response was compared to that observed in 19 patients previously treated with zidovudine (AZT) monotherapy. Results : HAART induced a significant increase in the PLT count (χ 2 =10.53, P =0.01) within the third month which was sustained up to the sixth month of therapy. No STP relapse was observed among eight PLT responders followed for longer than 6 months (median 27; range 7–41 months). The PLT increase after HAART was similar to that observed with AZT monotherapy, but a greater number of HAART patients were antiretroviral-experienced. HAART determined a PLT response in 10/13 subjects whose thrombocytopenia had not improved after previous AZT monotherapy. After 6 months of HAART, a complete platelet response occurred more frequently in patients with undetectable plasma HIV-RNA levels ( P =0.01). Conclusions : HAART induces a sustained PLT response in HIV-associated STP, even in antiretroviral-experiencedsubjects and in those with AZT-resistant thrombocytopenia. An undetectable plasma HIV viraemia induced by HAART is necessary for STP recovery.

Trends in landings from global shelf areas (excluding the Arctic/Antarctic) for 1950– 94 are expressed per shelf surface of FAO Statistical Areas in four categories: "shelfdependent" species (demersal fish plus commercial benthic invertebrates), "shelf-associated" species (small-medium sized pelagics and neritic squids), and "deep-water" and "oceanic" species; largely focusing on the first two categories. Geographical variation for shelf-dependent resources is explained by dividing FAO Statistical Areas into three categories: Arcto-boreal regions in the northern hemisphere, with five-year mean fishery production peaking at 2.1–2.7 tons per km2; from the Antarctic convergence to south-boreal latitudes, with production peaking at 0.5–2.2 tons per km2, and tropical/subtropical shelves, peaking at 0.4–0.9 tons per km (except for the Central East Atlantic). For zoogeographically similar areas, overall production levels for shelf-dependent resources have generally reached similar peak values and declined recently in areas with long histories of fishing. For several areas, especially in the tropics, production peaked in the last five-year period considered, 1990–94, but further potential for shelf-dependent species is considered limited. A low limit for shelf-dependent resources in the tropics of

Over a 16 month period we conducted a prospective study in a cohort of 45 HIV-positive patients to detect the development of resistance to fluconazole and to analyse the epidemiology of oropharyngeal candidosis (OPC). Each episode was treated with fluconazole 100 mg/day po for 10 days. All yeast isolates were tested for their in-vitro susceptibility to fluconazole. Multiple strains of Candida albicans simultaneously isolated from a given patient were typed by electrophoretic karyotyping. Overall, 106 episodes of OPC were diagnosed among the 45 patients: 18/45 patients (40%) had only one episode, 11/45 (24%) had two episodes, and the remaining 16/45 (36%) had three or more episodes (range 3-7). Cure (complete resolution of signs and symptoms and negative post-treatment cultures) and improvement (complete resolution of signs and symptoms but positive post-treatment cultures) were observed in 30/106 (28%) and 69/106 (65%) episodes of OPC, respectively. Failure (absence of improvement or exacerbation of signs and symptoms) was observed in seven episodes (7%) from four patients. In two of these four patients a significant and progressive increase in fluconazole MICs was observed: from 0.25 to 16 mg/L in one patient, and from < or = 0.125 to 32 mg/L in the second one. Tests on multiple colonies from individual isolation plates showed that it was not unusual to obtain different fluconazole MICs, indicating that, in order to avoid misleading results, one should perform in-vitro susceptibility testing by using a multiple colony inoculum rather than an inoculum made from a single colony. A total of 213 strains of C. albicans isolated from seven patients who suffered from four or more episodes of OPC through the course of the study were typed by electrophoretic karyotyping. Five individuals (71%) were infected with yeasts with only one DNA type, while the other two patients showed the presence of two or three different DNA types. The simultaneous presence of multiple types was found only in one of the seven subjects. Our data confirm the efficacy of fluconazole 100 mg/day for the treatment of OPC in HIV patients. Isolation of fluconazole-resistant strains of C. albicans with this regimen is rare. The vast majority of HIV patients are infected with a unique strain of C. albicans throughout each episode of infection. A minority of patients, however, can harbour strains of C. albicans with variable patterns of fluconazole susceptibility simultaneously.

In the first part of our study, we described the effect of picomolar concentrations of angiotensin II (AII) on cell membrane potential (Vb) and cell pH (pHi) of isolated perfused rabbit renal proximal tubules. In the present publication we summarize respective observations with micromolar concentrations of AII. With a few exceptions nearly all experiments showed mirror-image-like results. In the majority of the experiments 10(-6) mol/l AII, when applied from the bath (but not when applied from the lumen), slightly hyperpolarized the cells by -3.4 +/- 0.3 mV (mean +/- SEM, n = 20) and alkalinized them by up to 0.06 pH units, while the lower AII concentrations, which were applied in the previous study, depolarized and acidified. The present observations suggest that micromolar concentrations of AII inhibit basolateral Na-HCO3 cotransport. This conclusion was confirmed by a decreasing Vb response to step changes of basolateral HCO3 concentration. In addition, there was a tendency of the Vb response to K concentration steps to decrease, but measurements of the voltage divider ratio did not point to a significant inhibition of a basolateral K conductance. In spite of the almost perfect reciprocity of the results with 10(-6) and 10(-11) mol/l AII, some specific observations suggest that micromolar concentrations of AII do not simply cause mirror-image-like effects, but influence still further transport systems compared to picomolar concentrations.

The study was devised to assess the effects of a protein load (2 g/kg BW) on urinary prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and thromboxane A2 (TxA2) in patients with renal failure of glomerular origin. To this end, 8 women with a glomerular filtration rate of 55 +/- 12 ml/min x 1.73 m2 underwent the following studies: study 1: control; study 2: meat meal; study 3: meat meal+intravenous aspirin; study 4: pretreatment with oral aspirin for 2 days+protocol in study 3. Glomerular hyperfiltration was seen after the meat meal (study 2) and was not suppressed by aspirin (studies 3 and 4). Urinary PGE2, 6-keto-PGF1 alpha and TxA2 increased after the meat meal in study 2 and were suppressed by aspirin in studies 3 and 4. The ratio between vasodilative (PGE2 + 6-keto-PGF1 alpha) and vasoconstrictive (TxA2) autacoids increased during the meat meal (study 2) and was suppressed when aspirin was injected at the time of the oral protein load, thus, the effect of aspirin was much greater for PGE2 and PGF1 alpha than for TxA2. These data do not support that urinary prostaglandin and TxA2 have a direct role in renal hyperfiltration due to an acute protein load.

Il criptorchidismo e la mancata presenza di uno o di entrambi i testicoli nello scroto; l’incidenza e dell’ 1% a 1 anno di eta, del 3% nei nati a termine e del 33% nei prematuri. L’eziopatogenesi sembra essere multifattoriale per la possibile azione di diversi meccanismi: genetici, ormonali e meccanici. Circa il 20% dei pazienti criptorchidi ha un testicolo non palpabile; questo e tale perche agenesico, scomparso in utero (vanishing testis) o localizzato in addome a una distanza variabile dall’anello inguinale interno. La laparoscopia e la procedura piu efficace nella diagnostica del testicolo non palpabile e nella pianificazione chirurgica del testicolo intraddominale.

Ten patients with chronic renal failure (GFR 29–97 ml/min), on free diets providing 1 g/kg B.W. of proteins, ingested an oral protein load (meat meal, 2 g/kg B.W.). GFR and RPF increased significantly over baseline with no change in filtration fraction. Within 30 min of the meal and for the next 3 h a statistically significant increase was observed in the plasma concentrations of the following amino acid groups: essential, nonessential, total, branched-chain, ketogenic, glycogenic, glycogenic and ketogenic, basic, acid, polar and non-polar. At 30 min the smallest increase was seen in acid and polar amino acids (6.7% and 7.6%, respectively). At 180 min the largest increase (78.8%) was seen for glycogenic and ketogenic amino acids and total plasma amino acids were 1.58 times baseline. After the meat meal plasma glucagon and insulin rose significantly, while growth hormone, plasma renin activity and aldosterone did not vary.

It is well known that polydispersity and branching have important and, at the same time, hardly predictable effects on the rheological and processing properties of industrial polymers. In the literature, many studies have been undertaken in order to predict the rheology of polydisperse linear polymers and monodisperse, well‐defined, branched polymers. Industrial polymers are usually, simultaneously polydisperse and branched, exhibiting a much more complex viscoelastic behaviour. When polydispersity and branching are both present, many different relaxation processes are indeed active and sometimes coupled. In order to understand the viscoelastic behaviour of such a class of complex materials, we investigated the rheology of several blends of polydisperse linear and stars polymers with the help of a coarse grained—tube model. A series of polydisperse star/linear polybutadiene blends characterized by different composition and arm average molecular weight was prepared. Linear “parent” polymers were synthesized via anionic polymerization. A coupling agent was introduced in a second stage in order to obtain the blends. In order to characterize the composition of the blends, light scattering data were performed for determining their molar mass distributions (MMD). Then, using an adequate statistical approach, MMD were divided into different categories of architectures. We obtained a full set of linear and non‐linear rheological data. Then, we extended our tube‐based model to predict their linear viscoelasticity. This requires several modifications of the initial model in order to deal with a very large number of different particles and star molecules having arms of different lengths. The non‐linear rheological response was analyzed with special attention to the time‐strain separability at short and long times, whereas the response to uniaxial extension was also investigated.

A new architecture found in the KODAK KAC-3100 CMOS Image Sensor has been created to dramatically improve CMOS image performance in mobile applications. The method of operation and implementation is explained and the improvement of performance parameters on image quality is discussed. The benefits of the new architecture are discussed in relation to competitive CMOS technologies used in high-demanding mobile imaging applications today.

Seventy-eight strains of lactic acid bacteria belonging to five genera and showing six different phenotype combinations of Lac (lactose fermentation), Prt (proteolytic activity) and Cit (citrate degradation) characters were investigated for their main flavouring properties with the aim to detect variability among and within the groups.High resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of neutral volatile compounds produced in whey showed that, considering both neo-formation compounds and substances quantified in the whey cultures at different concentrations in comparison to the extract from sterile whey, the groups of lactococci, enterococci, thermophilic streptococci and mesophilic lactobacilli produced a higher number of volatiles than thermophilic lactobacilli and leuconostocs. Applying principal component analysis (PCA) to the results, enterococci, mesophilic lactobacilli and thermophilic streptococci showed a broad diversity, while lactococci included rather similar strains as well as strains with special flavouring properties. Applying PCA to thermophilic streptococci and enterococci, to lactococci and enterococci, to lactococci and thermophilic streptococci, or to mesophilic and thermophilic lactobacilli, the strains gathered consistently with their systematic position.The study evidenced strains producing some volatile compounds responsible for food flavouring. Flavouring properties were variable among the systematic groups and in some cases different within the same bacterial group.The potential of the findings is discussed with reference to the development of flavouring adjuncts for the dairy industry.

In the last years it has been observed a more and more increasing number of women submitted to therapies for induction of ovulation (disorders of the ovulation represent 33% of the causes of female infertility). In 1998, these therapies had been administrated to approximately two million of USA women. Various Authors have assumed a possible relationship between induction of ovulation and ovarian tumors. Between 1982 and 1997, at least 43 cases of ovarian tumors have been published (among these, there were also 25 cases of epithelial tumors) occurring in women previously treated with ovulation induction. The mean age of patient was 30.3 years, approximately 20 years younger than normal patient population for the same tumors. Among the possible causes of epithelial ovarian tumors, there is the trauma of the ovary surface caused by the continuous repeating of the ovulation phenomenon (incessant ovulation). Gynecologist should be aware of this potential risk for their patients. Multicentric studies should be evaluated in order to establish the risk of ovarian cancer in women treated for infertility problems. A survey of the international literature is made in order to analyse the epidemiological studies and to discuss the relationship between ovulation inducing agents and ovarian tumors.

Over a 16 month period we conducted a prospective study in a cohort of 45 HIV-positive patients to detect the development of resistance to fluconazole and to analyse the epidemiology of oropharyngeal candidosis (OPC). Each episode was treated with fluconazole 100 mg/day po for 10 days. All yeast isolates were tested for their in-vitro susceptibility to fluconazole. Multiple strains of Candida albicans simultaneously isolated from a given patient were typed by electrophoretic karyotyping. Overall, 106 episodes of OPC were diagnosed among the 45 patients: 18/45 patients (40%) had only one episode, 11/45 (24%) had two episodes, and the remaining 16/45 (36%) had three or more episodes (range 3-7). Cure (complete resolution of signs and symptoms and negative post-treatment cultures) and improvement (complete resolution of signs and symptoms but positive post-treatment cultures) were observed in 30/106 (28%) and 69/106 (65%) episodes of OPC, respectively. Failure (absence of improvement or exacerbation of signs and symptoms) was observed in seven episodes (7%) from four patients. In two of these four patients a significant and progressive increase in fluconazole MICs was observed: from 0.25 to 16 mg/L in one patient, and fromor = 0.125 to 32 mg/L in the second one. Tests on multiple colonies from individual isolation plates showed that it was not unusual to obtain different fluconazole MICs, indicating that, in order to avoid misleading results, one should perform in-vitro susceptibility testing by using a multiple colony inoculum rather than an inoculum made from a single colony. A total of 213 strains of C. albicans isolated from seven patients who suffered from four or more episodes of OPC through the course of the study were typed by electrophoretic karyotyping. Five individuals (71%) were infected with yeasts with only one DNA type, while the other two patients showed the presence of two or three different DNA types. The simultaneous presence of multiple types was found only in one of the seven subjects. Our data confirm the efficacy of fluconazole 100 mg/day for the treatment of OPC in HIV patients. Isolation of fluconazole-resistant strains of C. albicans with this regimen is rare. The vast majority of HIV patients are infected with a unique strain of C. albicans throughout each episode of infection. A minority of patients, however, can harbour strains of C. albicans with variable patterns of fluconazole susceptibility simultaneously.

Isolated microperfused rabbit renal proximal tubule S2 segments, if incubated in conventional substrate containing HCO3- Ringer solution, exhibit lower cell membrane potentials (Vb) and elevated intracellular Na+ concentrations ([Na]i) compared to rat tubules in vivo. Assuming that these and other differences reflect insufficient metabolic and/or hormonal stimulation of the cells, we have used microelectrode techniques to test whether improving substrate supply and applying norepinephrine (NE, to compensate for the missing nerve supply) reverts Vb and [Na]i to values observed in vivo. Application of D-glucose (5.5 mmol/l) and additional application of pyruvate, lactate, or L-alanine (each 10 mmol/l), or bathing the tubules in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's tissue culture medium (DMEM) significantly increased Vb and, whenever tested, reduced [Na]i as compared to substrate-free or D-glucose-containing control solution and these effects could be prevented - as tested in the case of pyruvate - by inhibition of the Na/K pump with ouabain. However, high concentrations of acetate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, or L-glutamine had no significant effect. The largest effect was obtained with joint application of DMEM and NE (10 micromol/l) which increased Vb from -42.8 +/- 1.3 mV (SEM) to -55.3 +/- 2.5 mV (n = 11). Interestingly we noticed that under the latter conditions the Vb response to bath application of 1 mmol/l amiloride virtually disappeared, i.e. it changed from a depolarization of +14.6 +/- 1.4 mV (in D-glucose Ringer solution) to +0.6 +/- 0.7 mV (in DMEM plus NE) (n = 8), with some tubules showing even a small hyperpolarization. The latter implies partial restoration of the in vivo behaviour, since in experiments on rat proximal tubules in vivo amiloride regularly hyperpolarized the cells (by -3.4 +/- 0.76 mV, n = 5). Obviously under conventional in vitro conditions an amiloride-inhibitable K+ conductance is activated which is inactive in vivo and also inactivates under improved conditions in vitro. In agreement with observations reported in the subsequent publication our results demonstrate that isolated proximal tubules undergo functional alterations which may be largely prevented by improved metabolic and stimulatory incubation conditions.

Summary Five hundred and forty-four immigrant women, admitted from 1983 to 1993 to the 2nd Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Rome University, were enrolled in the study. Africa and East Europe were the most common places of birth. Seventy-five per cent of women gave birth spontaneously, and a caesarean section was performed in 22.2%. The frequency of spontaneous delivery and caesarean section was about the same among Italian and immigrant women.

A revision of the more recent literature has been made in the order to establish which are, actually, the "gold standard" procedures in the planning out and the management of screening programs for cervical cancer. The problem of the false negatives responses, which make necessary the adoption of adequate reporting systems and quality control programs, is relevant. A centralized and "organized" screening policy, involving most of the female population, is also mandatory, keeping in the mind the amount of work for the public health services. The ultimate goal is to assure a "cover" percentage higher than the actual levels, reaching an acceptable balance in terms of cost-efficiency.

Oral candidiasis frequently occurs in HIV-positive patients especially in those with advanced disease. To date, common anti-mycotic drugs are unable to prevent relapses and alternative therapy is necessary to reduce disabling effects. With the aim of verifying whether thymic hormone extract may be efficacious in these subjects, we enrolled 10 HIV-positive patients with recurrent and/or persistent oral candidiasis to be treated with thymopentin (oral inhalations). All patients benefited from the topical use of thymopentin, and in all cases there was marked increase in salivary secretory IgA which possibly accounted for the candidiasis improvement.

Candida krusei is an emerging pathogen, both in HIV negative immunocompromised patients and in HIV seropositive patients. Its onset appears to be due, at least in part, to the use of fluconazole. In HIV positive patients, a long term prophylactic use of fluconazole may select some less pathogenic Candida species, as C. krusei, that may determine persistent oral candidiasis and emerge as systemic pathogen. Itraconazole appears efficacious in treating AIDS-associated C. krusei infections.

Following the technical approach described in the preceding publication we have investigated if, and how, stimulation of gastric HCl secretion affects the basolateral ion transport properties of oxyntopeptic cells of Rana catesbeiana stomach. To this end microdissected gastric glands were punctured with conventional or H(+)-sensitive glass microelectrodes and the effects of changing bath ion concentrations on the cell membrane potential (Vb) and cell pH (pHi) were determined. Except for a transient alkalinization, histamine (0.5 mmol/l) did not significantly affect Vb or pHi. The latter averaged 7.18 +/- 0.03 (mean +/- SEM, n = 5) under resting conditions (0.1 mmol/l cimetidine) and 7.21 +/- 0.07 (n = 5) in the presence of histamine. In addition, neither the initial velocity nor the final steady-state value of the cell alkalinization following a 10:1 reduction of bath Cl- concentration changed in the presence of histamine, and the same holds true for the cell acidification following a 10:1 reduction of bath HCO3- concentration. These observations indicate that the basolateral Cl-/HCO3- exchanger was not stimulated by histamine, and that no other base transporters were activated. By contrast, the Vb response to elevation of bath K+ concentration decreased, and so did the initial depolarizing Vb response to bath Cl- substitution, while the secondary hyperpolarizing response increased. The latter observations are compatible with the notion that stimulation by histamine reduced a pH-insensitive part of the basolateral K+ conductance and reduced also the basolateral Cl- conductance.

Enterococcus faecalis 226 NWC, isolated from natural whey cultures utilized as starter in water-buffalo Mozzarella cheese manufacture, produces a bacteriocin, designated Enterocin 226 NWC, which is inhibitory to Listeria monocytogenes. Plasmid analysis of E. faecalis 226 NWC showed a single 5.2-kb plasmid, pEF226. In conjugation experiments, pEF226 was transferred into a plasmid-free strain of E. faecalis JH2-2. The transfer required direct cell-to-cell contact and was not inhibited by DNase. The identity of conjugation was confirmed by digestion with SmaI restriction endonuclease and subsequent pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of the genomic DNA of E. faecalis 226, E. faecalis JH2-2 and of the isolates after the mating. The data indicate that the ability of E. faecalis 226 NWC to produce the bacteriocin is linked to the 5.2-kb conjugative plasmid pEF226.

The work was designed to study the effects of a meat meal on glomerular filtration rate (GFR), renal plasma flow (RPF), and plasma concentrations of glucagon, insulin, growth hormone, renin, aldoster-one, total amino acids, and NH3 in healthy humans (H) as well as in patients with Child A liver cirrhosis (LC). The meat meal produced renal hyperaemia and hyperfiltration without changes in the filtration fraction. Fractional Na excretion in urine increased significantly after the meat meal only in LC. Hyperinsulinae-mia and hyperglucagonaemia were seen at baseline in LC and were not affected by the meat meal, whereas in H glucagon concentration increased significantly over baseline within 30 min from the meat meal and insulin within 60 min. Growth hormone concentration was normal at baseline in LC and increased significantly 120–180 min after the meal, whereas it was not affected in H. Renin and aldosterone were stable in both H and LC. Plasma amino acid concentration began to increase 60 min after the meat meal, when hyperfiltration was present. The data indicate that in human Child A cirrhosis of the liver the renal haemodynamic response to a meat meal is independent of changes in glucagon.

Summary - Natural whey cultures, a thermophilic multiple strain starter (Lactobacillus helveticus and Streptococcus thermophilus) and a more complex multiple strain starter, including both thermophilic and mesophilic bacteria and a yeast (L delbrueckii subsp lactis, S thermophilus, Lactococcus lactis subsp lactis, Lactoc lactis subsp diacetylactis, Enterococcus faecalis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp dextranicum and Kluyveromyces marxianus) and artificial acidification (addition of citric acid) were used for the manufacture of water-buffalo Mozzarella cheese. Whey acidity, fermentation end-products and microbial populations were monitored during cheese manufacture. A scorecard for sensory evaluation of water-buffalo Mozzarella cheese was developed and used to compare the cheeses obtained with the difterent procedures. The traditional technology (raw milk and natural whey cultures) allowed shorter manufacturing times due to faster acid production du ring ripening. Cheeses produced with the thermophilic multiple strain starter and citric acid addition obtained the lowest scores in sensory evaluation. When the complex multiple strain starter was used scores were slightly higher and more constant than !hose obtained using traditional technology.

The effect of an acute protein load (2 g kg‐1bodyweight [BW]) was studied in nine type 1 diabetic children. Patients were maintained on two different dietary regimens. In study one, patients were on a high protein diet providing from 2.7 to 1.8 g of protein/kg of BW per day. In study two, patients were reevaluated after three weeks of a diet providing from 1.0 to 1.2 g kg‐1 of BW per day of protein. In study one (High Protein Diet), we failed to observe any rise in GFR and RPF following the protein meal (137 ± 21 basal vs. 110±14 and 472±93 basal vs. 494±93 ml/1.73 m2 of SA min‐1 at 60 min. This is in contrast with results from seven age matched controls consuming a free diet, which showed a significant rise in both GFR and RPF. In study two (low protein diet), basal GFR was significantly reduced. However after the protein load, both GFR (92±11 vs. 126±18 ml/1.73 m2 of SA min‐1) and RPF (467±83 vs. 705±102 ml/1±73 m2 min‐1) rose significantly (P

The effect of different incubation conditions for a multiple strain starter developed for Mozzarella cheese manufacture from water-buffalo milk was studied. The original starter was prepared by mixing intermediate cultures of the different strains grown separately and was composed by mesophilic (Streptococcus lactis subsp. lactis 25%, Str. lactis subsp. diacetyiactis 25%, Str. faecalis subsp. faecalis 7%, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 8%, Kluyveromyces marxianus 0.02%) and thermophilic (Str. salivarius subsp. thermophilus 20% and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. lactis 15%) strains. To facilitate the production of the starter preparation for cheesemaking the mesophilic strains were grown together at 22°C, 30°C or 37°C and the thermophilic strains were grown together at 37°C, 40°C or 45°C. The best results in terms of acid production and species composition were obtained when the thermophilic species were incubated at 37°C and the mesophilic species at 22°C or 30°C. The effect of the inoculation level (2, 5 or 10%) on acid production was also tested for some combinations.

The metal-binding capacities of two regional soils of southern Italy were evaluated. A volcanic soil and a sample of “terra rossa” were treated with sewage sludge spiked with CdSO 4 to obtain 0, 2, 4, 8 and 16 ppm of total cadmium in the soil. Cadmium uptake and cadmium effects on dry-matter production of rye grass, spinach, dwarf bean and radish grown in the two soils and the effects of cadmium on soil microflora were investigated. Plant and microbial responses were considered in relation to three different analytical methods for evaluating the biologically-effective concentration of cadmium in soil.

58 fecal specimens from 14 patients (10 hepatitis A, 2 hepatitis B and 2 infectious mononucleosis) were tested for the hepatitis A virus (HAV) and IgA anti-HAV by micro-solid-phase-radioimmunoassay. Only patients with hepatitis A were positive for HAV and/or IgA anti-HAV. In the first days of the disease we found HAV in the feces of 4 patients but it was never present after the sixth day. In all hepatitis A we found IgA anti-HAV in at least one fecal specimen and the titer of the antibodies increased in most cases during the course of the disease. The duration and the peak of the IgA response in the feces were strongly similar to other enterovirus infections. Some methodologic improvement both for HAV and IgA anti-HAV detection are suggested.

A solid phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) procedure was developed and three methods for detection of IgM specific antibody to hepatitis A virus (anti-HAV IgM) were compared: triple antibody method, 2-MercaptoEthanol (2-ME) for IgM cleavage and Staphylococcal A Protein (StAP) for IgG absorption. Specificity and sensitivity of the tests were checked for evaluating acute and convalescent sera from 40 patients with serologically (seroconversion) diagnosed hepatitis A and 64 sera from patients with various acute viral diseases or with high titre of rheumatoid factor (RF). Specimens to be assayed for anti-HAV IgM were pretreated with 2-ME or StAP and tested by RIa using 125I labelled anti-HAV IgG. Triple antibody method showed to be more sensitive than other two methods giving false positive result in only one serum containing high levels of monoclonal RF. No significant difference in sensitivity and specificity was found between 2-ME and StAP procedure, but these methods were able to detect anti-HAV IgM for only two weeks after the onset of the disease, whereas triple antibody method gave positive results for at last seven weeks.

The contagiousness of hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers with end-stage renal disease undergoing chronic hemodialysis has been ascribed to an immunologic tolerance for HBV antigens, especially hepatitis B core antigen, supporting persistently high levels of virus replication. In this context hepatitis B e antigen and core-associated DNA polymerase (DNA P) activity have proved to be distinct markers of HBV replication. In order to evaluate the potential infectivity of these subjects, thirty-five HBsAg positive hemodialysis patients were studied for the presence of HBeAg/anti-HBe system correlating the results with serum DNA P activity. Twenty out of 35 patients were HBeAg positive (57%) and 21 DNA P positive (60%). A highly significant correlation (P less than 0,001) was recorded between detection of HBeAg and presence of serum DNA P activity. These findings confirm that the majority of hemodialysis patients carrying HBsAg show high levels of virus replication so that the determination of HBeAg and DNA P activity other than HBsAg is required for the identification of patients highly infectious.

Biological decomposition and stabilization of sewage sludge under conditions which allow development of thermophilic temperatures (composting) can effect considerable drying. This reduces costs of handling and increases the attractiveness of compost for reuse or disposal. Microbiological aspects, composting systems and product quality are described.