Biochemical methane potential (BMP) of agro-food wastes from the Cider Region (Spain).

An inventory of agro-food industry organic waste streams with a high potential for biogas transformation was studied in a logistically viable area (Cider Region, Asturias, Spain). Three industries were selected as the most viable ones: livestock, dairy and beverage. The potential for methane production from six wastes (beverage waste, BW; milled apple waste, MA; milk waste, MK; yogurt waste, YG; fats and oils from dairy wastewater treatment, F&O and cattle manure, CM) at five different substrate:inoculum ratios (0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00 and 1.50) was evaluated in laboratory batch assays. Obtained methane yields ranged from 202-549 mL STP CH(4)·g VS waste(-1), and the methane content in biogas ranged from 58-76%. The ultimate practical biochemical methane potentials were slightly affected by the substrate:inoculum ratio. The estimation of the regional fluxes of waste and methane potentials suggests anaerobic digestion as a sustainable solution for the valorization of the organic wastes generated in this Region.

Inactivation studies of acetylcholinesterase with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride.

Acetylcholinesterase (AChE), a serine hydrolase, is potentially susceptible to inactivation by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and benzenesulfonyl fluoride (BSF). Although BSF inhibits both mouse and Torpedo californica AChE, PMSF does not react measurably with the T. californica enzyme. To understand the residue changes responsible for the change in reactivity, we studied the inactivation of wild-type T. californica and mouse AChE and mutants of both by BSF and PMSF both in the presence and absence of substrate. The enzymes investigated were wild-type mouse AChE, wild-type T. californica AChE, wild-type mouse butyrylcholinesterase, mouse Y330F, Y330A, F288L, and F290I, and the double mutant T. californica F288L/F290V (all mutants given T. californica numbering). Inactivation rate constants for T. californica AChE confirmed previous reports that this enzyme is not inactivated by PMSF. Wild-type mouse AChE and mouse mutants Y330F and Y330A all had similar inactivation rate constants with PMSF, implying that the difference between mouse and T. californica AChE at position 330 is not responsible for their differing PMSF sensitivities. In addition, butyrylcholinesterase and mouse AChE mutants F288L and F290I had increased rate constants ( approximately 14 fold) over those of wild-type mouse AChE, indicating that these residues may be responsible for the increased sensitivity to inactivation by PMSF of butyrylcholinesterase. The double mutant T. californica AChE F288L/F290V had a rate constant nearly identical with the rate constant for the F288L and F290I mouse mutant AChEs, representing an increase of approximately 4000-fold over the T. californica wild-type enzyme. It remains unclear why these two positions have more importance for T. californica AChE than for mouse AChE.

[Cortisone level and emotional support by key figures in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Kortisonbild und emotionale Unterstützung durch Schlüsselfiguren bei Patienten mit Asthma bronchiale.

In a subgroup of patients with bronchial asthma, irrational fears of cortisone medication can be observed beyond justified worries about side-effects. A cortisone image which involves overemphasizing the threatening aspects of cortisone, often underlies noncompliant illness behaviour. In the present study, cortisone image and subjectively experienced emotional support by a key figure was investigated in 62 patients, all of whom had participated in the Düsseldorf Asthma treatment and teaching programme (ATTP). The data show that patients having a supportive relationship with their key figures are less likely to experience threatening aspects of cortisone. The findings are discussed in light of psychoanalytic object relations theory.

[Negative cortisone attitude in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Negatives Kortisonbild bei Patienten mit Asthma bronchiale.

Patients with bronchial asthma often exhibit irrational fears of cortisone medication beyond justified worries about side-effects. A negative cortisone image, which means overemphasizing the damaging and threatening aspects of cortisone, often underlies non-compliant illness behaviour. In the present study, cortisone image was investigated in 54 patients with bronchial asthma before and after participation in the Düsseldorf Asthma treatment and teaching programme (ATTP) and one year later. By participating in ATTP, a significant reduction of the negative cortisone image and thus a more realistic view of cortisone could be achieved in most patients. This effect was also evident at the follow-up examination one year later. On the other hand, persistence of a negative cortisone image in a subgroup of patients turned out to be a potent predictor of later non-compliant illness behaviour. Psychological implications of a persistent negative cortisone image are discussed.

[Affective-cognitive coping with attacks and illness behavior in patients with bronchial asthma]. / Affektiv-kognitive Anfallsverarbeitung und Krankheitsverhalten bei Patienten mit Asthma bronchiale.

The purpose of this study was to investigate attack-related cognitive coping styles in 80 patients with bronchial asthma and to relate them to outcome parameters of illness behaviour. All patients had participated in a 5-day-lasting asthma treatment and teaching programme (ATTP). Outcome variables to be predicted were: The number of days in hospital due to asthma during the year following the training programme and the patients' adherence to the recommendations of the programme one year later. Independent predictor variables were: pre-training attack frequency, hospitalization due to asthma, medication intensity, pulmonary function, asthma symptom anxiety, trait anxiety and attack-related cognitive coping styles. Multiple regression analyses show the importance of a "minimizing/self-confident" coping style in predicting days in hospital, while a "diverting" style predicts best a poor management of attacks in patients on oral steroids.

Evaluation of a structured treatment and teaching programme on asthma.

The objective of this study was to evaluate a structured treatment and teaching programme for adult patients with moderate to severe asthma. The design consisted of a prospective, before-after trial: the same consecutive patients were studied before and after intervention with observation periods 1 year before and 1 year after intervention. The investigation took place within a tertiary care centre (university hospital). A total of 142 consecutive patients were referred for in-patient treatment of their asthma, of whom 132 (93%) patients participated in the follow-up examination. The intervention consisted of a structured 5-d in-patient treatment and teaching programme presented by a specialized nurse educator. The aim of the programme was for the patient to assume greater responsibility for disease management, including self-monitoring of peak expiratory flow and qualified self-adaptation of drug therapy. The main outcome measures were the frequency of severe asthma attacks, hospitalization, and absenteeism from work (data provided by health insurance companies), patients' compliance and management skills. During the year before and the year after the intervention 71% and 36%, respectively of patients had one or more severe asthma attacks (mean difference 35%, 95% CI: 25-45%, P less than 0.0001). The percentage of patients who were hospitalized because of asthma decreased from 39% to 22% (mean difference 17%, 95% CI: 7-27%, P less than 0.002). The percentage of employed patients (n = 67) who were absent from work because of asthma decreased from 60% to 43% (mean difference 17%, 95% CI: 4-30%, P less than 0.04). The patients' adherence to maintenance drug therapy and their management skills improved significantly. It was concluded that the participation of patients with moderate to severe asthma in a structured treatment and teaching programme resulted in a substantial reduction in asthma morbidity in the year following the intervention.

[Anxiety and illness behavior in bronchial asthma]. / Angst und Krankheitsverhalten bei Asthma bronchiale.

In 82 patients attending a one-week asthma self-management education program, asthma symptom anxiety, personality trait anxiety, and attack-related coping styles were correlated with attack frequency, medication regimen and pulmonary function parameters. In 21 patients, asthma symptoms anxiety was shown to influence illness behaviour at follow-up one year later: in patients with severe asthma, greater symptom anxiety was associated with more suitable illness behaviour. Moreover, suitable illness behaviour appears to be related to cognitive coping styles that take into account the asthmatic's feeling of dependency in attacks without denying them.