Incidental Findings and How to Manage Them: Testis- A WFUMB Position Paper.

Testicular incidentalomas are non-palpable, asymptomatic lesions, most frequently detected on ultrasound examinations. Each incidentaloma should undergo a standardized diagnostic workup to exclude malignancy and recognize other potentially significant non-malignant conditions that may first present with an incidental finding on scrotal ultrasound. This position statement of the World Federation of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (WFUMB) summarizes the available evidence on management of testicular incidentalomas and describes efficient management strategies with particular reference to the role of ultrasound techniques.

The effect of introduction of chicken manure on the biodiversity and performance of an anaerobic digester

Background: Ammonium stress is a prime limiting phenomenon that occurs during methane formation from poultry manure. It is caused by elevated ammonium nitrogen concentrations that result from substrate decomposition. The amounts of methane formed depend on the activity of methanogenic microbes. Results: During the research reported in this paper, the response of a mesophilic consortium inhabiting a biogas reactor to rising load of poultry manure was investigated. The taxonomic composition of bacterial population was mostly typical, however syntrophic bacteria were not detected. This absence resulted in limitation of succession of some methanogenic microorganisms, especially obligate hydrogenotrophs. The methanogenic activity of the consortium was totally dependent on the activity of Methanosaeta. Inhibition of methanoganesis was noticed at ammonium nitrogen concentration of 3.68 g/L, total cessation occurred at 5.45 g/L. Significant amounts of acetic acid in the fermentation pulp accompanied the inhibition. Conclusions: The effectiveness of the consortium was totally dependent on the metabolic activity of the acetoclastic Methanoseata genus and lack of SAOB did not allow hydrogenotrophic methanogens to propagate and lead to cessation of biogas production at an elevated ammonium concentration at which acetoclastic methanogens were inhibited.

The Toxic Effect of Herbicidal Ionic Liquids on Biogas-Producing Microbial Community.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of herbicidal ionic liquids on the population changes of microorganisms used in a batch anaerobic digester. The influence of the following ionic liquids: benzalkonium (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetate (BA)(2,4-D), benzalkonium (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetate (BA)(MCPA), didecyldimethylammonium (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetate (DDA)(2,4-D), didecyldimethylammonium (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetate (DDA)(MCPA), as well as reference herbicides (4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy)acetic acid (MCPA) and (2,4-dichlorophenoxy)acetic acid (2,4-D) in the form of sodium salts on biogas production efficiency was investigated. The effective concentration (EC50) values were determined for all tested compounds. (MCPA)- was the most toxic, with an EC50 value of 38.6⁻41.2 mg/L. The EC50 for 2,4-D was 55.7⁻59.8 mg/L. The addition of the test substances resulted in changes of the population structure of the microbiota which formed the fermentation pulp. The research was based on 16S rDNA analysis with the use of the Next Generation Sequencing method and the MiSeq platform (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). There was a significant decrease in bacteria belonging to Firmicutes and Archaea belonging to Euryarchaeota. A significant decrease of the biodiversity of the methane fermentation microbiota was also established, which was expressed by the decrease of the operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and the value of Shannon's entropy. In order to determine the functional potential of bacterial metapopulations based on the 16SrDNAprofile, the PICRUSt(Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States)tool was used, which allowed to determine the gene potency of microorganisms and their ability to biodegrade the herbicides. In the framework of the conducted analysis, no key genes related to the biodegradation of MCPA or 2,4-D were found, and the observed decrease of their content in the supernatant liquid was caused by their sorption on bacterial biomass.

Biochar to reduce ammonia emissions in gaseous and liquid phase during composting of poultry manure with wheat straw.

Composting of poultry manure which is high in N and dense in structure can cause several problems including significant N losses in the form of NH3 through volatilization. Biochar due to its recalcitrance and sorption properties can be used in composting as a bulking agent and/or amendment. The addition of a bulking agent to high moisture raw materials can assure optimal moisture content and enough air-filled porosity but not necessarily the C/N ratio. Therefore, amendment of low C/N composting mixtures with biochar at low rates can have a positive effect on composting dynamics. This work aimed at evaluating the effect of selected doses of wood derived biochar amendment (0%, 5% and 10%, wet weight) to poultry manure (P) mixed with wheat straw (S) (in the ratio of 1:0.4 on wet weight) on the total ammonia emissions (including gaseous emissions of ammonia and liquid emissions of ammonium in the collected condensate and leachate) during composting. The process was performed in 165L laboratory scale composting reactors for 42days. The addition of 5% and 10% of biochar reduced gaseous ammonia emission by 30% and 44%, respectively. According to the obtained results, the measure of emission through the condensate would be necessary to assess the impact of the total ammonia emission during the composting process.

Preliminary study of acrylamide monomer decomposition during methane fermentation of dairy waste sludge.

Polyacrylamide (PAM) used in sludge dewatering exists widely in high-solid anaerobic digestion. Acrylamide is registered in the list of chemicals demonstrating toxic, carcinogenic and mutagenic properties. Therefore, it is reasonable to ask about the mobility of such residual substances in the environment. The study was carried out to assess the impact of the mesophilic (39±1°C) and thermophilic (54±1°C) fermentation process on the level of acrylamide monomer (AMD) content in the dairy sludge. The material was analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for quantification of AMD. The results indicate that the process of methane fermentation continues regardless of the temperature effects on the degradation of AMD in dairy sludge. The degree of reduction of acrylamide monomer for thermophilic fermentation is 100%, while for mesophilic fermentation it is 91%. In practice, this means that biogas technology eliminates the risk of AMD migration to plant tissue. Moreover, it should be stressed that 90% of cumulative biogas and methane production was reached one week earlier under thermophilic conditions - the dynamics of the methanisation process were over 20% faster.

Co-composting of poultry manure mixtures amended with biochar - The effect of biochar on temperature and C-CO2 emission.

Biochar as an amendment could have an impact on composting dynamics. This study investigated the effect of the addition of biochar (B) to poultry manure (P) mixed with wheat straw (S) (i.e. P:S, P:S+5%B and P:S+10%B) on temperature and carbon dioxide emission. For temperature studies a modified equation for net degree-hour parameter DHnet (°Chday(-1)) was proposed. The modified equation takes into account ambient temperature. The highest daily temperatures DHnet were observed on day 2 and the mixture with the highest addition of biochar (P:S+10%) reached the max temperature. The period of thermophilic temperatures (40°C>) was shorter for mixtures amended with biochar. The addition of biochar increased C-CO2 emission and the total C-CO2 emission were higher about 6.9% and 7.4% for P:S+5%B and P:S+10%B, respectively.

The new Polish stent Chopin. Assessment of safety and efficacy in the treatment of de-novo coronary lesions using percutaneous angioplasty.

AIM: The aim of the present study was to assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) using the new Polish stent "Chopin" (Balton, Poland). METHODS: The study consisted of experimental and clinical parts. In the experimental phase, the new stent was implanted into 5 pigs and control coronary angiography as well as intracoronary ultrasonography (ICUS) were performed 30 days later. In the clinical phase, 101 patients (57% of males, mean age 55.6+/-10 years) with symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) with "de novo" coronary lesions (including 12% of patients with unstable angina and 19% with acute myocardial infarction [MI]) underwent stent implantation. The patients were followed for 6 months for the occurrence of cardiac events. Quantitative coronary angiography was performed at baseline and after 6 months. RESULTS: In total, we attempted to implant 107 stents, which resulted in the successful deployment of 106 stents to 105 coronary arteries. The mean diameter of the stents was 3.2+/-0.3 mm, and length - 15.4+/-2 mm. During a one month follow-up period no cardiac events were noted. During a 6-month follow-up no death or new MI were recorded. Repeated target vessel revascularisation due to recurrent angina and in-stent restenosis was required in 15 (15.5%) patients. Control coronary angiography was performed in 97 (96%) patients. Of 101 stents, angiographic restenosis (narrowing of dilated lesion by >50% of vessel lumen) was documented in 18.8% of cases. The mean late vessel lumen loss was 0.77+/-0.6 mm, and stenosis - 29.1+/-20%. The restenosis rate was significantly higher in patients with unstable angina rather than in those with stable angina or acute MI. CONCLUSIONS: Implantation of the new Polish stent "Chopin" during PCI is safe and effective.