Serum anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a IgG antibodies are biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis.

OBJECTIVES: A previous single-country pilot study indicated serum anti-GM2 and anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies as potential biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. This study aims to validate these findings in a large geographically heterogenous cohort. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sera from 175 dogs clinically diagnosed with acute canine polyradiculoneuritis, 112 dogs with other peripheral nerve, cranial nerve or neuromuscular disorders and 226 neurologically normal dogs were screened for anti-glycolipid antibodies against 11 common glycolipid targets to determine the immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies with the highest combined sensitivity and specificity for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis. RESULTS: Anti-GM2 anti-glycolipid antibodies reached the highest combined sensitivity and specificity (sensitivity: 65.1%, 95% confidence interval 57.6 to 72.2%; specificity: 90.2%, 95% confidence interval 83.1 to 95.0%), followed by anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies (sensitivity: 61.7%, 95% confidence interval 54.1 to 68.9%; specificity: 89.3%, 95% confidence interval 82.0 to 94.3%) and these anti-glycolipid antibodies were frequently present concomitantly. Anti-GA1 anti-glycolipid antibodies were detected in both acute canine polyradiculoneuritis and control animals. Both for anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies, sex was found a significantly associated factor with a female to male odds ratio of 2.55 (1.27 to 5.31) and 3.00 (1.22 to 7.89), respectively. Anti-GalNAc-GD1a anti-glycolipid antibodies were more commonly observed in dogs unable to walk (OR 4.56, 1.56 to 14.87). CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Anti-GM2 and anti-GalNAc-GD1a immunoglobulin G anti-glycolipid antibodies represent serum biomarkers for acute canine polyradiculoneuritis.

Preliminary Water and Sediment Quality Assessment of the Meycauayan River Segment of the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando River System in Bulacan, the Philippines.

BACKGROUND: The Meycauayan River is considered one of the most severely polluted rivers in the Philippines due to heavy metal and organic pollution that has caused environmental degradation. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to provide insight on the current status of the Meycauayan River and outline an appropriate strategy to solve problems of organic and heavy metal contamination. METHODS: The physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the water and sediments were analyzed and evaluated based on available local and international standards. Three sites (upstream, midstream and downstream) of the river were considered for the evaluation of water and sediment quality. RESULTS: Dissolved oxygen, measured in the morning, was very low at the upstream sampling station (1.87 ppm) and even lower at the downstream site (0.49 ppm). The temperature for the three sites ranged from 28.03°C (upstream) to 30.75°C (downstream). Visual inspection indicated that the color of the water was gray upstream and midstream, and black at the downstream station. Biochemical oxygen demand exceeded the recommended limits of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) of 7.0 ppm with values of 13.22 ppm (upstream) and 12.02 ppm (downstream). Chemical oxygen demand exceeded the limit of 20 ppm at the downstream site at 84 ppm. Dissolved oxygen did not reach the recommended limit of 5.0 ppm of the DENR. There was a high coliform count at both the upstream (3.5 × 104 colony-forming unit (cfu)/ml) and downstream (2.5 × 104) sites, which exceeded the limit of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) of 126 cfu/100 ml. Heavy metals such lead (Pb), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), manganese (Mn) and chromium (Cr) exceeded the severe effect level of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which could be detrimental to humans and aquatic life. The results of one-way analysis of variance showed significant differences (p <0.001) in pH, temperature, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, total dissolved solids, chemical oxygen demand, nitrates and phosphates for water quality and Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn and Cr for sediment quality across the study sites. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present study indicate that the downstream site was more polluted, possibly due to the accumulation of pollutants coming from the upstream site. The deterioration of the Meycauayan River is a result of rapid industrialization, urbanization and population growth. Examination of the water quality of the Meycauayan River indicates that it is very polluted and requires an immediate solution. The results of the present study should be used as a basis for crafting strategies to rehabilitate the Meycauayan River. COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare no competing financial interests. This study was funded by Pure Earth.

Draft Genome Sequences of Six Bacteria Isolated from the Benham Bank, Philippine Rise, Philippines.

We report here the draft genome sequences of six bacteria isolated from the near-bottom waters and surface sediments of the Benham Bank, Philippine Rise, Philippines. These genome sequences represent candidate novel species and/or strains from the families Flavobacteriaceae and Dermacoccaceae and the genera Idiomarina, Bacillus, and Vibrio.

Assessment of the Effect of Remediation Strategies on the Environmental Quality of Aquaculture Ponds in Marilao and Meycauayan, Bulacan, Philippines.

BACKGROUND: Water quality in the Marilao-Meycauayan-Obando river system (MMORS) of Bulacan, the Philippines, is of great concern due to the pollution load from local industries. The river system is currently used as a source of water for the aquaculture industry in Bulacan. OBJECTIVES: In order to address organic and heavy metal pollution, several remediation strategies were tested in aquaculture ponds along the river system. Strategies such as phytoremediation (vetiver grass pontoons), application of probiotics and zeolite (with filtration as pre-treatment) were utilized in ponds to decrease or remove toxic pollutants in water and sediments. METHODS: Two sites were chosen as the pilot remediation sites - ponds in Barangay Nagbalon, Marilao and Barangay Liputan, Meycauayan, Bulacan. Pond bottom preparation was done to improve the condition of the pond bottom sediments before stocking by adding zeolite. Physicochemical parameters of water such as dissolved oxygen (DO), temperature, pH, salinity, ammonia, phosphate, biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) were monitored throughout the culture period. Heavy metals in sediments and fish were monitored. Fish parameters such as average body weight and feed conversion ratio were determined. RESULTS: The DO levels were below recommended levels in the morning and reached a supersaturated level in the afternoon. Ammonia and COD levels were above recommended limits. A decreasing trend was observed for ammonia levels in treatment ponds. In terms of the growth of milkfish, the pond with probiotics showed the highest growth and better feed conversion ratio in Nagbalon and in the phytoremediation pond in Liputan. Percentage survival of milkfish was much higher at Liputan. Copper, chromium, lead and manganese were detected in pond sediments. After application of zeolite, there was a decrease in lead levels throughout the culture period. CONCLUSIONS: The different remediation studies were compared in terms of cost, effectivity and application and phytoremediation (vetiver grass pontoons) was determined to be the most cost-effective remediation strategy. COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare no competing financial interests.

(99m)Tc glucarate as a potential radiopharmaceutical agent for assessment of tumor viability: from bench to the bed side.

Several radiotracers have been used for assessing cell death, whether by necrosis or apoptosis. (99m)Tc glucarate, which has initially been reported to be concentrating/accumulating in myocardial infarction or zones of cerebral injury, has also shown some tumor-seeking properties in a few preliminary studies. Under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s coordinated research program, we report here the standardization, quality control, and clinical evaluation (detection, evaluation of response, and comparison with (18)F Fluorodeoxyglucose) of this tracer in well-characterized lung cancer and head neck malignancies in a single-arm prospective observational study. Forty-seven patients (29 inoperable lung carcinoma and 18 head and neck malignancies) were prospectively enrolled and underwent (99m)Tc glucarate imaging [whole body planar and single-photon emission computed tomography of the region of interest] 4-5 hours after injection of 20 mCi of the radiopharmaceutical. Excellent (99m)Tc glucarate concentration was noted in the target lesion in lung cancer and head and neck malignancies. The sensitivity was found to be better in lung cancer. Avid concentration of tracer was seen in the metastatic sites. During response evaluation, the glucarate concentration correlated well with the clinical and other radiological findings. (99m)Tc glucarate showed avid concentration of tracer in the tumor, suggesting it to be a potential tumor imaging agent which can be used for detection and assessment of therapeutic response in malignancy.

Technological behaviour and recycling potential of spent foundry sands in clay bricks.

The feasibility of recycling spent foundry sand in clay bricks was assessed in laboratory, pilot line and industrial trials, using naturally occurring sand as a reference. Raw materials were analyzed by X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, particle size distribution, and leaching and combined to produce bodies containing up to 35% wt. sand. The extrusion, drying and firing behaviour (plasticity, drying sensitivity, mechanical strength, bulk density, water absorption, and shrinkage) were determined. The microstructure, phase composition, durability and leaching (EN 12457, granular materials, end-life step, European Waste Landfill Directive; NEN 7345, monolithic materials, use-life step, Dutch Building Material Decree) were evaluated for bricks manufactured at optimal firing temperature. These results demonstrate that spent foundry sand can be recycled in clay bricks. There are no relevant technological drawbacks, but the feasibility strongly depends on the properties of the raw materials. Spent foundry sand may be introduced into bricks up to 30% wt. Most of the hazardous elements from the spent foundry sand are inertized during firing and the concentrations of hazardous components in the leachates are below the standard threshold for inert waste category landfill excepting for chromium and lead; however, their environmental risk during their use-life step can be considered negligible.

Recycling PC and TV waste glass in clay bricks and roof tiles.

Disposal of PC monitors and TV sets is a growing problem, with over 40% of the weight of these systems comprised of waste glasses with high Pb (funnel) or Ba-Sr concentrations (panel), making them unsuitable for recycling and manufacturing new glass. A possible way to re-use these glasses is in the manufacturing of clay bricks and roof tiles. This possibility was appraised by laboratory simulation of the brickmaking process and technological characterization of unfired and fired products. The recycling of both funnel and panel glasses into clay bodies is technologically feasible, resulting in a substantially reduced plasticity behaviour during shaping-drying (implying a reduction of mechanical strength), and a promotion of sintering during firing. No significant release of Pb, Ba, and Sr was observed during the firing and leaching test for the carbonate-poor body; in contrast, some Pb volatilization during firing and Sr leaching were observed for the carbonate-rich body. Additions of 2 wt.% appear to be practicable, while 5 wt.% glass induces unacceptable modifications of technological properties. The recommended amount is within 2 and 4 wt.%, depending on the characteristics of the clay bodies. The main constraint is that the glass must have a particle size below the limit of the pan mills used in brickmaking (<1mm).

The thermal transformation of Man Made Vitreous Fibers (MMVF) and safe recycling as secondary raw materials (SRM).

This work describes the high temperature reaction sequence of commercial Man Made Vitreous Fibers (MMVF) Cerafiber, Superwool, Rock wool and Glass wool which may be used as substitute for asbestos in some industrial applications. Knowledge of the reaction path and transformation sequence is very important to assess whether carcinogenic crystalline phases are formed during devitrification, which may occur when used as insulators. In addition, knowledge about the nature of the phases formed at high temperature is mandatory to assess if thermally transformed MMVF can be safely recycled as secondary raw material (SRM). In this scenario, this study provides useful information for the optimization of the industrial annealing process aimed to attain a safe, recyclable product. The results of this work show that one of the high-temperature products of Cerafiber and Superwool is cristobalite which is classified as a carcinogenic. It was possible to define the temperature interval at which Cerafiber and Superwool fibers can be safely used as thermal insulators (e.g. insulators in tunnel and/or roller kilns, etc.). As cristobalite is formed in both synthetic fiber products at temperatures higher than 1200 degrees C, their use should be limited to devices operating at lower temperatures. Rock and Glass wool melt upon thermal treatment. As far as the industrial process of inertization is concerned, a maximum firing temperature of 1100 and 600 degrees C is required to melt Rock wool and Glass wool, respectively, with the high-temperature products that can be safely recycled as SRM. Recycling of these products in stoneware tile mixtures were subsequently attempted. The addition of 1-2 wt.% of the melts of Rock and Glass wool gave promising results in terms of viscous sintering reactions and resistance to staining with the only weak characteristic being the color properties of the fired bodies which tend to worsen.

N3 potentials in response to high intensity auditory stimuli in animals with suspected cochleo-saccular deafness.

We describe a previously un-reported vertex-negative potential evoked by high intensity click auditory stimuli in some dogs and cats with suspected cochleo-saccular deafness. Brainstem auditory evoked potential tracings from 24 unilaterally or bilaterally deaf animals, 22 dogs and 2 cats, among which 21 belonged to breeds with high prevalence of suspected or histologically confirmed cochleo-saccular deafness, were studied retrospectively. Values for latency, amplitude and threshold of this potential in dogs were 2.15+/-0.23 ms, 0.49+/-0.25 microV, and 91.9+/-4.7 dB NHL, respectively (mean+/-SD). Latency and threshold values in cats were in the mean+/-2 SD range of the dog values. Sensitivity to click stimulus polarity and to click stimulus delivery rate pointed towards a neural potential instead of a receptor potential. The vertex-negative wave observed in these animals shares all characteristics with the N3 potential described in some deaf humans with cochlear deafness, where it is presumed to arise from saccular stimulation. The combined degeneration of cochlea and sacculus usually reported in deaf white dogs and cats suggest that N3 may have a different origin in these species.

EANM/ESC procedural guidelines for myocardial perfusion imaging in nuclear cardiology.

The European procedural guidelines for radionuclide imaging of myocardial perfusion and viability are presented in 13 sections covering patient information, radiopharmaceuticals, injected activities and dosimetry, stress tests, imaging protocols and acquisition, quality control and reconstruction methods, gated studies and attenuation-scatter compensation, data analysis, reports and image display, and positron emission tomography. If the specific recommendations given could not be based on evidence from original, scientific studies, we tried to express this state-of-art. The guidelines are designed to assist in the practice of performing, interpreting and reporting myocardial perfusion SPET. The guidelines do not discuss clinical indications, benefits or drawbacks of radionuclide myocardial imaging compared to non-nuclear techniques, nor do they cover cost benefit or cost effectiveness.

Myocardial SPECT: what do we gain from attenuation correction (and when)?

AIM: This study aimed at assessing the impact of attenuation correction performed by means of a new hardware device (Beacon(tm)) in the assessment of coronary artery disease with myocardial SPECT and, afterwards, at identifying what specific risk class of patients would mostly benefit from the technique. METHODS: The first 500 consecutive patients, referred to our facility for coronary artery disease (CAD) assessment, were included in this study. Myocardial SPECT was performed after i.v. of 740 MBq of (99m)Tc Tetrofosmin (Myoview, Amersham Health) both after stress and at rest. Studies were acquired by means of a 3 head system (IRIX, Philips Medical System) equipped with the Beacontm option to correct for non-uniform attenuation. Out of the whole population studied, 130 patients underwent coronary angiography (CAG), 108 of which were proven to be affected by significant CAD, defined as a >50% coronary vessel lumen reduction. Attenuation corrected (AC) as well as non-attenuation corrected studies (NAC) were reconstructed, blindly read and qualified as: normal; borderline normal; borderline abnormal and definitely abnormal. RESULTS: In the group of 130 patients who underwent CAG, sensitivity for CAD detection did not vary significantly (96% and 93%, for NAC and AC studies, respectively, p=ns) whereas specificity increased from 73% (NAC studies) to 91% (AC studies), p<0.01. Normalcy rate, assessed in a small subgroup (n=21) with a <5% likelihood for CAD, was found to be 80% for NAC studies vs 93% for AC studies (p<0.05). As regards synthetic clinical judgements, when we grouped normal and probably normal readings into a single ''normal'' category and, conversely, probably abnormal and definitely abnormal into a single ''pathological'' category, we see that after attenuation correction studies reported as ''pathological'' are reclassified as ''normal'' in 17.8% of the cases (25.2% in males and 6.9% in females, p<0.05). The opposite is seen in only 1.6% of the cases (1.3% in males and 4.4% in females). According to established criteria, 155 patients were classified at low risk for CAD (<15%), 115 at intermediate risk (from >15% to <50%) and 230 at high risk (>50%). The intermediate risk class showed the greatest impact: ''normal'' findings increased from 52% to 72%, thus reducing the rate of ''pathological'' reports from 48% to 28%. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that, while sensitivity for CAD is not affected by attenuation correction, specificity increases significantly, as well as normalcy rate. Out of the whole population studied, the main finding was that attenuation correction increases the rate of normal reports, more frequently in males than in females, and that studies carried out in patients at intermediate risk for CAD are more likely to be affected.

Retrospective analysis of the association of nodular goiter with primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: The association of hyperparathyroidism (HPT) with thyroid disease has long been known, but the mechanisms underlying such an association have not yet been clarified. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the main factors determining this combination of endocrine diseases, in a retrospective multicenter study. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed all patients referred for parathyroid scintigraphy in the period 1990-1999. A total of 487 patients in the age range 17-65 years were selected for the analysis (339 women and 148 men); group A included 241 patients with primary and group B 246 patients with secondary HPT. RESULTS: A total of 124/241 patients in group A (51.5%), but only 92/246 patients in group B (38.2%) had thyroid disorders (notably nodular goiter) associated with HPT (P=0.0035). Thyroid disorders were evenly distributed throughout the entire 17-65 years age range in group A, but 17-40-year-old patients in group B had significantly fewer thyroid disorders than the older patients of the same group (15.5% compared with 43.3%, P<0.002), as expected in a general population. In patients with primary HPT there was no difference in the prevalence of thyroid disease between women and men, whereas the ratio of women to men in secondary HPT patients with thyroid disease was about 3:1. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate an increased prevalence of nodular goiter in patients with primary rather than secondary HPT, and are consistent with a possible role of increased endogenous calcium concentrations (a hallmark of primary, but not of secondary, HPT) as a goitrogenic factor in patients with HPT.

Evaluation of thrombogenicity of fluoropassivated polyester patches following carotid endarterectomy.

The use of a patch after carotid endarterectomy (CE) is recommended to reduce the incidence of restenosis. Most studies on this subject report the implantation of saphenous vein or PTFE patches, because polyester has always been considered to be a thrombogenic material. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the thrombogenicity of a knitted polyester patch passivated by fluoropolymer surface treatment (FPD patch), which experimental studies have demonstrated to be less thrombogenic than other materials. This prospective, randomized study was performed in 22 patients who underwent CE. In 11 patients the arteriotomy was sutured directly, while in the other 11 an FPD patch was applied. Patients' 111in-oxine labeled platelets were reinjected on the first postoperative day, and scintigraphies were performed after 4, 24, and 48 hr, respectively. The study confirmed that an FPD patch is no more thrombogenic than a simple carotid endarterectomy. The application of the patch, therefore, can be recommended to reduce restenosis without any adjunctive thromboembolic risk.

Decomposition of nitrous oxide on pillared clays.

Alumina-pillared smectites have been found to abate nitrous oxide in the presence of methane. The results indicate that the yield of the reaction (N20 --> N2 + (1/2)O2) increases when pillared clays are exchanged with transition metals, single-pass conversion rates of >70% being attainable. In particular, when double exchanged (calcium and subsequently copper) alumina pillared montmorillonite/beidellite is used as a catalyst, de-N2O activity reaches a maximum, which is maintained even after 4 h of work at a space velocity of 5.5 h(-1). A mechanism for the reaction is suggested, which implies that N2O is first adsorbed by the catalyst and then decomposes through two different paths: catalyst oxidation and catalyst reduction. Such a redox process explains the kinetic data.

High-performance liquid chromatography study of the enantiomer separation of chrysanthemic acid and its analogous compounds on a terguride-based stationary phase.

The direct enantioseparation of chrysanthemic acid [2,2-dimethyl-3-(2-methylpropenyl)-cyclopropanecarboxylic acid] and its halogen-substituted analogues was systematically studied by HPLC using a terguride-based chiral stationary phase in combination with a UV diode array and chiroptical detectors. Isomers with (1R) configuration always eluted before those with (IS) configuration. The elution sequence of cis- and trans-isomers was strongly affected by mobile phase pH, whereas the enantioselectivity remained the same. Conditions for the separation of all the enantiomers were also examined. This method was used for monitor the hydrolytic degradation products of Cyfluthrin (Baythroid) in soil under laboratory conditions.

Can newborns discriminate between their own cry and the cry of another newborn infant?

Two experiments were conducted to test whether newborns could discriminate between their own cry and the cry of another newborn infant. Facial behavior and nonnutritive sucking rate were adopted as dependent measures. In Experiment 1, 20 newborns in an awake state were presented with either their own cry or the cry of another infant. In the latter condition, newborns showed the facial expression of distress more frequently and for a longer duration. In addition, the rate of sucking decreased significantly between the pretest phase and the 1st min of presentation of another infant's cry. Newborns' responses, although delayed and less intense, showed a similar trend in Experiment 2, during which 20 newborns in a sleep state were tested with the same procedure. These results indicate the newborns' capability to discriminate between the 2 cry stimuli and show the effectiveness of a newborn cry in inducing distress signals in another newborn infant.

Characterization of a small chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan isolated from the mucus surrounding the embryos of Viviparus ater (Mollusca Gastropoda).

A small chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan was isolated and partially characterized for core protein and glycosaminoglycan structures from the mucus surrounding embryos in the developmental pouch of Viviparus ater (Mollusca Gastropoda). The protein bearing polysaccharide nature was confirmed by gel-permeation chromatography separation of fractions positive to the uronic acid dosage, 7.5% SDS-PAGE under reducing conditions, sequential staining with alcian blue and ammoniacal silver. Its molecular mass was calculated at about 228,800. After degradation of the galactosaminoglycan components by chondroitinase ABC in the presence of proteinase inhibitors, the molecular mass of the core protein was determined at about 72,200. Treatment of the proteoglycan with keratanase did not modify its electrophoretic migration. Isoelectric focusing of the core protein demonstrated a micro-heterogeneity with the presence of two isoforms with different isoelectric point, pI=8.2 and 6.6, in a ratio of about 1:2.2. The glycosaminoglycan component of the proteoglycan was characterized as chondroitin sulfate with a molecular mass of about 30,750 composed of 5% non-sulfated unsaturated disaccharide, 94% monosulfated disaccharides (4-monosulfated to 6-monosulfated disaccharide ratio of 1.36) and 1. 5% disulfated disaccharides (in particular 1.3% 2,6-disulfated disaccharide) with a sulfate to carboxyl ratio of 0.96. Degradation of the chondroitin sulfate with chondroitinase ABC and ACII permitted to determine a percentage of glucuronic acid of about 78.4. The proteoglycan isolated from the mucus surrounding the embryos of Viviparus ater is formed by a small core protein bearing about five chondroitin sulfate chains (80% chondroitin sulfate/20% dermatan sulfate) with potential function in the developmental processes of molluscs embryos.