Flaxseed in lupus nephritis: a two-year nonplacebo-controlled crossover study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to determine the renoprotective effects of ground flaxseed in patients with lupus nephritis. METHODS: Forty patients with lupus nephritis were asked to participate in a randomized crossover trial of flaxseed. Twenty-three agreed and were randomized to receive 30 grams of ground flaxseed daily or control (no placebo) for one year, followed by a twelve-week washout period and the reverse treatment for one year. At baseline and six month intervals, serum phospholipids, flaxseed sachet counts, serum creatinine, 12-hour urine albumin excretion and urine albumin to creatinine ratios, serum viscosity and plasma lipids were measured. RESULTS: There were eight drop-outs and of the 15 remaining subjects flaxseed sachet count and serum phospholipid levels indicated only nine were adherent to the flaxseed diet. Plasma lipids and serum viscosity were unaltered by the flaxseed supplementation whereas serum creatinine in the compliant patients during flaxseed administration declined from a mean of 0.97+/-0.31 mg/dL to a mean of 0.94+/-0.30 mg/dL and rose in the control phase to a mean of 1.03+/-0.28 mg/dL [p value <0.08]. Of the fifteen patients who completed the study, similar changes were noted [p value <0.1]. The nine compliant patients had lower serum creatinines at the end of the two-year study than the 17 patients who refused to participate [p<0.05]. Microalbumin at baseline declined in both control and flaxseed time periods, but there was a trend for a greater decline during flaxseed administration [p<0.2]. CONCLUSIONS: Flaxseed appears to be renoprotective in lupus nephritis, but this interpretation is affected by under powering due to poor adherence and potential Hawthorne effects.

Relative effectiveness of kinetic analysis vs single point readings for classifying environmental samples based on community-level physiological profiles (CLPP).

The relative effectiveness of average-well-color-development-normalized single-point absorbance readings (AWCD) vs the kinetic parameters mu(m), lambda, A, and integral (AREA) of the modified Gompertz equation fit to the color development curve resulting from reduction of a redox sensitive dye from microbial respiration of 95 separate sole carbon sources in microplate wells was compared for a dilution series of rhizosphere samples from hydroponically grown wheat and potato ranging in inoculum densities of 1 x 10(4)-4 x 10(6) cells ml-1. Patterns generated with each parameter were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) and discriminant function analysis (DFA) to test relative resolving power. Samples of equivalent cell density (undiluted samples) were correctly classified by rhizosphere type for all parameters based on DFA analysis of the first five PC scores. Analysis of undiluted and 1:4 diluted samples resulted in misclassification of at least two of the wheat samples for all parameters except the AWCD normalized (0.50 abs. units) data, and analysis of undiluted, 1:4, and 1:16 diluted samples resulted in misclassification for all parameter types. Ordination of samples along the first principal component (PC) was correlated to inoculum density in analyses performed on all of the kinetic parameters, but no such influence was seen for AWCD-derived results. The carbon sources responsible for classification differed among the variable types with the exception of AREA and A, which were strongly correlated. These results indicate that the use of kinetic parameters for pattern analysis in CLPP may provide some additional information, but only if the influence of inoculum density is carefully considered.

Cigarette smoking patterns in patients after treatment of bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Assessment of smoking status and identification of those most likely to continue smoking are important in the management of patients who have bladder cancer, because continued smoking following diagnosis and treatment increases the likelihood of treatment-related complications, recurrence, second primary malignancies, and morbidity and mortality. METHODS: Patients (n = 224) receiving follow-up care of previously treated bladder cancers completed a brief written survey assessing their post-diagnosis smoking patterns. RESULTS: Despite the risks of continued smoking, 69% of the patients who had been active smokers at the time of diagnosis (n = 84) reported smoking at some point following the diagnosis and 45% reported smoking at the time of assessment. Patients diagnosed at earlier stages were more likely to continue smoking. Patients diagnosed at later stages were 2.80 times more likely to be continuous abstainers than those diagnosed sooner (95% CI, 1.08-7.25). CONCLUSIONS: The findings underscore the need to assess smoking status and provide smoking-cessation advice and counseling within routine comprehensive care of bladder cancer patients.

Density and composition of microorganisms during long-term (418 day) growth of potato using biologically reclaimed nutrients from inedible plant biomass.

A study evaluating alternative methods for long term operation of biomass production systems was recently completed at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC). The 418-day study evaluated repeated batch versus mixed-aged production of potato grown on either standard 1/2-strength Hoagland's nutrient solution or solutions including nutrients recycled from inedible plant material. The long term effects of closure and recycling on microbial dynamics were evaluated by monitoring the microbial communities associated with various habitats within the plant growth system (i.e., plant roots, nutrient solution, biofilms within the hydroponic systems, atmosphere, and atmospheric condensate). Plate count methods were used to enumerate and characterize microorganisms. Microscopic staining methods were used to estunate total cell densities. The primary finding was that the density and composition of microbial communities associated with controlled environmental plant growth systems are stable during long term operation. Continuous production resulted in slightly greater stability. Nutrient recycling, despite the addition of soluble organic material from the waste processing system, did not significantly increase microbial density in any of the habitats.

Hydroponic potato production on nutrients derived from anaerobically-processed potato plant residues.

Bioregenerative methods are being developed for recycling plant minerals from harvested inedible biomass as part of NASA's Advanced Life Support (ALS) research. Anaerobic processing produces secondary metabolites, a food source for yeast production, while providing a source of water soluble nutrients for plant growth. Since NH4-N is the nitrogen product, processing the effluent through a nitrification reactor was used to convert this to NO3-N, a more acceptable form for plants. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) cv. Norland plants were used to test the effects of anaerobically-produced effluent after processing through a yeast reactor or nitrification reactor. These treatments were compared to a mixed-N treatment (75:25, NO3:NH4) or a NO3-N control, both containing only reagent-grade salts. Plant growth and tuber yields were greatest in the NO3-N control and yeast reactor effluent treatments, which is noteworthy, considering the yeast reactor treatment had high organic loading in the nutrient solution and concomitant microbial activity.

Recycling crop residues for use in recirculating hydroponic crop production.

As part of bioregenerative life support feasibility testing by NASA, crop residues are being used to resupply elemental nutrients to recirculating hydroponic crop production systems. Methods for recovering nutrients from crop residues have evolved from water soaking (leaching) to rapid aerobic bioreactor processing. Leaching residues recovered the majority of elements but it also recovered significant amounts of soluble organics. The high organic content of leachates was detrimental to plant growth. Aerobic bioreactor processing reduced the organic content ten-fold, which reduced or eliminated phytotoxic effects. Wheat and potato production studies were successful using effluents from reactors having with 8- to 1-day retention times. Aerobic bioreactor effluents supplied at least half of the crops elemental mass needs in these studies. Descriptions of leachate and effluent mineral content, biomass productivity, microbial activity, and nutrient budgets for potato and wheat are presented.

Comparison of aerobically-treated and untreated crop residue as a source of recycled nutrients in a recirculating hydroponic system.

This study compared the growth of potato plants on nutrients recycled from inedible potato biomass. Plants were grown for 105 days in recirculating, thin-film hydroponic systems containing four separate nutrient solution treatments: (1) modified half-strength Hoagland's (control), 2) liquid effluent from a bioreactor containing inedible potato biomass, 3) filtered (0.2 micrometer) effluent, and 4) the water soluble fraction of inedible potato biomass (leachate). Approximately 50% of the total nutrient requirement in treatments 2-4 were provided (recycled) from the potato biomass. Leachate had an inhibitory effect on leaf conductance, photosynthetic rate, and growth (50% reduction in plant height and 60% reduction in tuber yield). Plants grown on bioreactor effluent (filtered or unfiltered) were similar to the control plants. These results indicated that rapidly degraded, water soluble organic material contained in the inedible biomass, i.e., material in leachate, brought about phytotoxicity in the hydroponic culture of potato. Recalcitrant, water soluble organic material accumulated in all nutrient recycling treatments (650% increase after 105 days), but no increase in rhizosphere microbial numbers was observed.

Treatment of infants with indirect hyperbilirubinemia. Readmission to birth hospital vs nonbirth hospital.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Indirect hyperbilirubinemia is a common cause for readmission to a hospital during the first week of life. Many newborn nurseries are ill equipped to readmit such newborns. The purpose of this study was to compare the care and treatment of infants with indirect hyperbilirubinemia who were readmitted to their birth hospital with those who were admitted to a hospital that differed from their birth hospital. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Children's and community hospitals. PATIENTS: We reviewed the records of 100 newborns who were readmitted during the first week of life (36 were readmitted to their birth hospital) with a primary admission diagnosis of indirect hyperbilirubinemia. RESULTS: Infants who were admitted to their birth hospital were less likely to have blood cultures (none of 36 vs 17 of 64, P = .0005), urine cultures (none of 36 vs eight of 64, P = .02), or more than one complete blood cell count (two of 36 vs 18 of 64, P = .001) performed compared with infants who were admitted to a nonbirth hospital. Antibiotic, intravenous therapy (P = .0005), and emergency department (P = .0001) use was more common among infants who were admitted to a nonbirth hospital. Infants who were admitted through the emergency department at a nonbirth hospital had phototherapy started later (mean +/- SD, 5.3 +/- 1.6 vs 2.2 +/- 1.7 hours; P = .0001) than did infants who were directly readmitted to the same nonbirth hospital. CONCLUSIONS: Readmitting infants with indirect hyperbilirubinemia to birth hospitals or ensuring that accurate, timely, and complete information is obtained from the birth centers by admitting hospital personnel before laboratory studies and treatment are performed will reduce diagnostic workups and should reduce hospital charges for these infants. Phototherapy should be initiated in the emergency department if stabilization is required before admission.

Airway burns in an infant following aspiration of microwave-heated tea.

Airway obstruction developed in an infant who sustained thermal burns to the oropharynx and trachea after he aspirated microwave-heated tea. Bronchoscopic examination revealed upper and lower airway hyperemia, edema and blister formation. Physicians should be aware of this potential hazard of microwave-heated fluid. Early assessment and stabilization of the airway is important following scald injuries to the face and oropharynx.

An electron microscopic study of the location of teichoic acid and its contribution to staining reactions in walls of Streptococcus faecalis 8191.

The location of the glucosylated teichoic acid in whole cells and isolated walls of Streptococcus faecalis 8191 has been investigated using ruthenium red, gold-labelled concanavalin A and concanavalin A-peroxidase-diaminobenzidine. Dense laminae were revealed in sections of osmium-fixed walls stained with ruthenium red which corresponded to similar regions stained by uranyl and lead. Such regions were not seen after teichoic acid had been extracted, suggesting that the uptake of stain was by teichoic acid. However, these regions were not labelled on exposure to gold concanavalin A or concanavalin A-peroxidase-diaminobenzidine; these stains indicated that teichoic acid was situated between the dense laminae, although the distribution of stain could have been due to the inability of the concanavalin A stains to penetrate deeply. Chemical binding studies showed that the teichoic acid was the major uranyl binding component in isolated walls, from which it might be inferred that teichoic acid was located in the densely staining regions. However, since osmification significantly increased the binding of uranyl (and lead stains) to non-teichoic acid material, such an inference was not necessarily valid. It is concluded that the presence of teichoic acid can be demonstrated in certain regions of the wall by concanavalin A, but its presence in densely staining regions has not been established. These experiments therefore suggest that teichoic acid may not be intimately associated with the mechanisms that generate contrast patterns in stained sections of cell walls of Streptococcus faecalis.