Design characteristics and first experience concerning the new high-resolution powder diffractometer for thermal neutrons at the Swiss spallation neutron source SINQ are summarized. It is based on a ...linear position-sensitive
3
He
detector with 1600 wires and angular separation of 0.1°, permitting also real-time experiments.
Abstract
Background
The CESAME study suggested that Thiopurines confer increased risk of lymphomas in IBD patients who are naïve to Epstein - Barr virus (EBV) particularly in young males. European ...Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) guidelines recommend considering EBV screening in individuals prior to initiating immunomodulator therapy. The impact of EBV serology status on decision-making processes regarding advanced therapies in IBD patients is not studied before.
Methods
Consecutive patients initiated on advanced therapies (biologics or small molecules). EBV nuclear and vca IgG status were recorded. The first advanced therapy of the positive and negative patients were compared. Proportion of the negative patients who seroconverted and the time to seroconversion were analysed.
Results
We included 491 patients (M: F 1:14). Median age of patients who had EBV serology done prior to initiating on advanced therapies was 31.5 years (range 5-84 years) .In 41 (8.35%) patients, neither nuclear nor vca IgG antibody were detected at initial screening. The median age of EBV negative patients was 26 years (range 13-51 years).30 of the EBV negative patients were males. Azathioprine/6MP was not initiated in 37 (90.24%) of the EBV negative patients. Re-testing of EBV negative patients were done at a median interval of 28 months (range 3-90 months). 5 of these retested patients (12.2%), seroconverted and in three of this patients Azathioprine was used following seroconversion.
Conclusion
A significant minority of IBD patients are EBV negative when tested as part of pre biologic screening, including in male patients above the age of 25.
Thiopurine therapy was avoided in these patients. Only a fraction of EBV negative patient seroconverted on re-testing. The impact of EBV testing in treatment decision, as well as the attributable costs needs to be evaluated further.
Removals of adsorbable organic halides (AOX) achieved by 8 full-scale wastewater treatment systems at pulp mills in North America were surveyed over a 2-year period. AOX removals averaged 46 per cent ...for activated sludge systems and 34 per cent for aerated stabilization systems studied. The best performance was recorded at a sulphite mill activated sludge system which consistently removed 53 per cent of total AOX and 62 per cent of low-molecular-weight AOX in bleaching wastewaters. In some cases, the use of oxygen and peroxide and chlorine dioxide substitution reduced influent AOX loadings, with little effect on treatment plant removal efficiency.
The ability of artificial marshes to polish high quality pulp mill effluents was assessed on a pilot scale using areas of 2.6 m2, 15 to 40 cm in depth and employing marl substrate of 1 to 3 cm in ...size. Cordgrass, cattail and reeds were planted and there were controls without vegetation. Initial experiments showed little advantage in exceeding a retention period of 15 h. Average percentage removals of suspended solids, BOD and organic nitrogen were 57, 38 and 29 respectively, with no advantages arising from the use of plants. Removals of ammonia and phosphate were greatly increased by plants. Only 16 per cent of ammonia was removed by the control compared with a range of 63 to 82 by the plants. They also reduced phosphorus by around 20 per cent with the control having virtually no effect. Shallow beds exhibited the greatest efficiency. Annual reed biomass production was estimated at 30 dry tons per acre. A 10 per cent loss of interstitial volume per year was noted. The process should be considered where the reduction of algal nutrients was important. Some factors affecting the design of full scale units are discussed.
