Continuous flow operation of solar photo-Fenton fused with NaOCl as a novel tertiary treatment.

A novel strategy based on solar photo-Fenton mediated by ferric nitrilotriacetate (Fe3+-NTA) combined with NaOCl in continuous flow mode for wastewater reclamation has been studied. Escherichia coli (E. coli) inactivation attained ≥ 5 log10-units, meeting the most restrictive EU 2020/741 target (10 CFU/100 mL), and 75% of organic microcontaminant total load was removed. As a remarkable finding, trihalomethanes (THMs) concentration was insignificant, complying by far with the Italian legislation limit. To attain these results, first the effect of liquid depth on E. coli inactivation and imidacloprid (IMD) removal from spiked municipal effluents was evaluated in continuous flow pilot-scale raceway pond reactors at 60-min hydraulic residence time with low reagent concentrations (0.10 mM Fe3+-NTA, 0.73 mM H2O2 and 0.13 mM NaOCl). Disinfection was due to the bactericidal effect of chlorine. In contrast, liquid depth notably influenced microcontaminant removal, highlighting that operation at 10-cm liquid depth allows achieving treatment capacities higher than at 5 cm (16.50 vs 28.20 mg IMD/m2∙day). Next, the monitoring of THMs was carried out to evaluate the generation and degradation of disinfection by-products, along with the removal of actual microcontaminants. These promising results draw attention to the treatment potential and open the way for its commercial application.

Oclusión de arteria ciliorretiniana en la hemocromatosis / Cilioretinal artery occlusion in hemochromatosis

CASO CLÍNICO: Se presenta el caso de una mujer de 31 años con pérdida brusca de visión de un ojo debido a una oclusión de arteria ciliorretiniana. En la exploración presentaba hepatomegalia y en la analítica los niveles séricos de hierro, saturación de transferrina y ferritina estaban elevados. Los perfiles de autoinmunidad y de hipercoagulabilidad fueron normales. El estudio doppler-ultrasónico de los troncos supraaórticos fue anodino, pero la ecografía cardíaca evidenció una miocardiopatía con calcificación subendocárdica. El estudio genético para la hemocromatosis fue positivo. DISCUSIÓN: La calcificación subendocárdica secundaria a hemocromatosis puede ser la causa de la oclusión embólica de la arteria ciliorretiniana. El cuadro embólico ocular fue la forma de presentación de la hemocromatosis en nuestra paciente

CLINICAL CASE: We report a case of a 31 year-old woman with a sudden visual loss due to a cilioretinal artery occlusion. The physical examinination showed hepatomegaly. Serum iron and ferritin and transferrin saturation were unusually high. The doppler scan of carotid arteries showed no relevant signs of atheromatous disease. Dilated cardiomiopaty was revealed in the B-scan with subendocardial calcium deposits. Genetic tests were positive for hemochromatosis. DISCUSSION: Subendocardial calcification due to hemochromatosis could be the embolic source in our patient. This embolic ocular disease is the first presentation of hemochromatosis in this patient

[Cilioretinal artery occlusion in hemochromatosis]. / Oclusión de arteria ciliorretiniana en la hemocromatosis.

CLINICAL CASE: We report a case of a 31 year-old woman with a sudden visual loss due to a cilioretinal artery occlusion. The physical examinination showed hepatomegaly. Serum iron and ferritin and transferrin saturation were unusually high. The doppler scan of carotid arteries showed no relevant signs of atheromatous disease. Dilated cardiomiopaty was revealed in the B-scan with subendocardial calcium deposits. Genetic tests were positive for hemochromatosis. DISCUSSION: Subendocardial calcification due to hemochromatosis could be the embolic source in our patient. This embolic ocular disease is the first presentation of hemochromatosis in this patient.

Low-molecular-weight heparin, bemiparin, in the outpatient treatment and secondary prophylaxis of venous thromboembolism in standard clinical practice: the ESFERA Study.

The objective of this study is to assess the clinical and economic outcomes associated with outpatient treatment and secondary prophylaxis of acute venous thromboembolism (VTE) with a low-molecular-weight heparin, bemiparin. This study was designed as an open-label, multicentre, prospective, cohort study in standard clinical practice. Sixty-three investigators from 54 Spanish centres participated in the study. Five hundred eighty-three patients (434 outpatients and 149 inpatients) with acute VTE were followed up for 98 days (median). Outcome measures were costs and adverse events during initial VTE treatment with bemiparin (outpatient vs. inpatient cohorts) and long-term treatment [bemiparin (BEM) vs. vitamin K antagonists (VKA) cohorts]. Mean total costs per patient were lower in the outpatient cohort as compared with those in the inpatient cohort (1206 vs. 5191 euros; difference = -3985 euros; p < 0.001), with similar rates of adverse events (5.1 outpatient vs. 7.4% inpatient; p = 0.196) over 98 days. Mean total costs per patient were similar in the BEM/BEM and BEM/VKA cohorts (3616 vs. 3831 euros; difference = -215 euros; p = 0.412), but patients on long-term bemiparin treatment had lower rates of major bleeding (0.4 vs. 1.7%; p = 0.047), minor bleeding (1.8 vs. 6%; p = 0.032) and total adverse events (2.9 vs. 9.5%; p = 0.007) than patients in the BEM/VKA cohort. Outpatient management of VTE with bemiparin in selected patients resulted in significant cost-savings compared to inpatient treatment, while maintaining effectiveness and safety. Bemiparin may be a safer and cost-neutral alternative to VKA for long-term treatment of VTE.

Tubulointerstitial nephritis and asymptomatic uveitis.

We describe a case of a 10 year-old boy who had fever, weakness, anorexia, weight loss and general malaise. No other remarkable symptoms were present. He had been treated with Aspirin and Ibuprofen. Deterioration of renal function, glucosuria, proteinuria, anemia and increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate were detected. After 7 days observation with no treatment, renal function worsened, glucosuria increased and fever persisted. A renal biopsy was performed and acute tubulointerstitial nephritis was diagnosed. The most common aetiologies of this entity were excluded. An ophthalmologic study revealed bilateral anterior uveitis, therefore the patient was diagnosed as having tubulointerstitial nephritis with uveitis. The child improved on corticosteroid therapy, but uveitis relapsed when treatment was stopped.

An improved high performance liquid chromatographic method for thiamin analysis in foods.

A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) procedure for the determination of thiamin in foods has been developed. Acid and enzymatic extracts of food samples were subjected to purification and chromatographic conditions which allowed the quantification of thiamin in foods with only a low content. Reverse-phase ion pair chromatography, using mixtures of sodium hexanesulfonate and sodium heptanesulfonate as counterions and detection at 254 nm, was employed. The lowest detection limit for thiamin was 0.5 ng/injection. Analyses of four samples of legumes and lyophilized meat and milk and the recovery for standard thiamin are given. Mean recovery values of extraction and purification procedure ranged over 97-98%.

Influence of an inhibitor of monoaminooxidase (nialamide) on the serum levels, urinary excretion and plasma clearance of urea, uric acid and creatinine in adult and growing rats.

Serum levels, urinary excretion and plasma clearance of urea, uric acid and creatinine were studied in adult (230 g) and growing (75 g) rats under the influence of nialamide (an IMAO) administered in daily doses of 20 mg/100 g diet during 15 or 30 days in adults and 10 mg/100 g diet during 15 days in growing rats. A pair feeding design was used in both ages. Serum levels of urea rose in adult rats fed nialamide for 30 days while urinary excretion decreased. No change in serum levels were noted in growing rats although urinary excretion showed a net increase. Serum uric acid levels were increased in adult female rats given nialamide for 30 days, while urinary excretion fell in both sexes. Growing rats showed a drop in urinary excretion of uric acid. Serum creatinine levels were unchanged in adult and growing rats after treatment with nialamide, although a marked increase was recorded in urinary excretion in both groups.

Effect of low-dose aspirin treatment on human platelet aggregation.

1. The effect of aspirin 50 mg/day during 28 days on human platelet aggregation (PAG) induced by ADP and collagen has been studied in 12 healthy volunteers. 2. The results show that aspirin treatment reduces both ADP and collagen-induced PAG (P less than 0.01). 3. Maximal inhibition of PAG appears in the second week of treatment for ADP-induced PAG (41.1%) and in the fourth week for collagen-induced PAG (50.2%). No significant differences exist between the controls taken along the treatment during the 28 days of the study. 4. The data suggest that the low-dose of aspirin tested provides adequate PAG inhibition to be used in the prophylaxis of thromboembolism patients, thus avoiding intolerances to higher dosages.

Influence of an inhibitor of monoaminooxidase (nialamide) on the absorption and retention of nitrogen in adult rats.

A study was made on adult rats (170 g) of the effect of nialamide (20 mg/100 g of diet), an inhibitor of monoaminooxidase, administered for 15 or 30 days (short or long-term, respectively), with food intake controlled (pair fed), on the absorption and retention of nitrogen, and on the nitrogen content in the liver, the gastronemio and longissimus dorsi muscles and in the small intestine. Nialamide administered for a time which can be considered prolonged (30 days) negatively affects absorption of alimentary protein, while metabolic utilization is reduced when the drug is administered both in the short and the long term. Proteic catabolism is less marked in male rats, due to the hormonal anabolizant situation in this sex. Nitrogen content under the effect of nialamide showed no significant variation in the gastronemio muscle or in the small intestine. There is a clear reduction in the longissimus dorsi muscle and an increase in the liver of those animals of both sexes treated with the drug, with the exception of male rats given nialamide in the long term.

Comparative study of the influence of an inhibitor of monoaminooxidase (nialamide) on the calcium and phosphorus metabolism in slow and fast-growing rats.

Nialamide was supplied to slow-growing animals in doses of 20 mg/100 g of diet for 15 or 30 days. The dose for fast-growing animals was 10 mg/100 g of diet. The digestive utilization of calcium and phosphorus decreases significantly when adult slow-growing rats receive the drug for 30 days. This fall is already important in fast-growing rats when they receive nialamide for only 15 days. In the same way the falls in the retention of calcium and phosphorus in adult rats are only evident when the period of treatment is through 30 days, even females being in negative balance of phosphorus. The amount of calcium retained decreases significantly in fast-growing rats and so does phosphorus impressively after only 15 days of treatment.

Study of absorption and retention of nitrogen in fast growing rats--II. Influence of IMAO (nialamide).

A study was made in fast growing rats (65 g) of the nutritive effects of protein and the effect on different organs when influenced by nialamide (IMAO), administered at a dosage of 10 mg/100 g diet, with food intake controlled (pair fed). The administration of nialamide reduces the protein absorbed and retained to a significant degree, both in males and females. No difference was observed between the sexes caused by the effect of the drug, due to the absence of the hormonal anabolizant situation caused by testosterone in adult rats. The administration of nialamide does not significantly modify nitrogen content per 100 g of body weight in any of the organs studied, with the exception of the longissimus dorsi.