A comparative study on the efficacy of four anthelmintics on some important reindeer parasites

Four anthelmintic preparations were tested against some of the most important parasites of reindeer, i.e. warble fly (Oedemagena tarandi), nostril fly (Cephenemyia trompe), brainworm (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi), and lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus). Their efficacy against intestinal nematodes was also registered. Test drugs were Fenthion (Bayer), Fenbendazole (Hoechst), Mebendazole (Janssen), and Ivermectin (Merk Sharp & Dohme). Against O. tarandi and C. trompe Ivermectin was 100% effective and Fenthion 86 and 100% respectively. The efficacy of Fen- and Mebendazole against these parasites was not significant. Against E. rangiferi the benzimidazole compounds were highly effective, with Mebendazole a bit ahead. Ivermectin had a moderate effect and Fenthion had no effect on this parasite. Against D. viviparus Fenbendazole, Mebendazole and Ivermectin were of equal, moderate-high effectiveness. No drug had a complete effect on the «arrested» larvae of D. viviparus. Fenthion had no effect at all. Fenbendazole and Ivermectin were both 100% effective against intestinal nematodes. Mebendazole was less effective and Fenthion had no effects. Ivermectin is considered to be the overall most effective anthelmintic in this test.En jamforande studie av effekten av fyra anthelmintika mot några betydelsesfulla parasiter hos ren.Abstract in Swedish / Sammandrag: Fyra antiparasitmedel har prôvats mot några av renens viktigaste parasiter, nàmligen hudkorm (Oedemagena tarandi), svalgkorm (Cephenemyia trompe), hjårnmask (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi) och lungmask (Dictyocaulus viviparus). Vidare har medlens effekt på mag- tarmnematoder (Trichostongylider) också noterats. De prôvade medicinerna var Fenthion (Bayer), Mebendazole (Leo/Janssen), Fenbendazole (Hoechst) och Ivermectin (Merck Sharp & Dohme). Mot hud- och svalgkorm var Ivermectin 100% effektivt medan for Fenthion effekten var 86 resp 100%. Effekten av Fen- och Mebendazole mot de båda parasiterna var inte signifikant. Mot hjårnmask noterades mycket hôg effekt av Mebendazole och aven Fenbendazole medan Ivermectin hade något såmre effekt med den valda doseringen. Fenthion hade ingen effekt på denna parasit. Mot lungmask visade Fenbendazole och Ivermectin god effekt medan Mebendazole visade något lagre effekt. Inget av preparaten hade dock fullgod verkan på de vilande inaktiva 5:te stadiets larverna av denna parasit. Fenthion hade ingen effekt. Mot mag-tarmnematoder var Fenbendazole och Ivermectin 100% effektiva medan Mebendazole hade en något làgre, delvis undertryckande effekt. Fenthion hade ingen effekt. Ivermectin får anses vara det allmånt sett effektivaste maskmedlet i denna undersokning.Vertailevatutkielma neljan loislaakeaineen vaikutuksesta muutamia tarkeita porojen loisia vastaan.Abstract in Finnish / Yhteenveto: On kokeiltu neljaa loislaakeainetta muutamia porojen tarkeinpia loisia vastaan, nimittain kurmua (Oedemagena tarandi), saulakkaa (Cephenemyia trompe), aivomatoa (Elaphostrongylus rangiferi) ja keuhkomatoa (Dictyocaulus viviparus). Edelleen on laakeaineiden vaikutus maha- ja suolistomatoihin (Trichostrongyliidit) myoskin pantu merkille. Kokeillut laakeaineet olivat Fenthion (Bayer), Mebendazole (Leo/Janssen), Fenbendazole (Hoechst) ja Ivermectin (Merck - Sharp and Dohme). Kurmua ja saulakkaa vastaan oli Ivermectin 100% tehokas, kun taas Fenthionin vaikutus oli toisessa 86 ja toisessa 100%. Fen- ja Mebendazolen vaikutus molempia loisia vastaan ei ollut merkittava. Mebendazolen ja myos Fenbendazolen vaikutus aivomatoa vastaan havaittiin hyvin korkeaksi, kun taas Ivermectinilla oli jonkin verran huonompi vaikutus valitulla annostuksella. Fenthionilla ei ollut mitaan vaikutusta tata loista vastaan. Keuhkomatoa vastaan osoitti Fenbendazole ja Ivermectin hyvan vaikutuksen, kun taas Mebendazolella oli jonkin verran heikompi vaikutus. Kuitenkaan ei millaan laakevalmisteista ollut taystehokasta vaikutusta taman loisen lepaaviin tehottomiin 5:asteen toukkiin. Fenthionilla ei ollut mitaan vaikutusta. Fenbendazole ja Ivermectin maha- ja suolistomatoja vastaan olivat 100% tehokkaita, kun taas Mebendazolella oli jonkin verran alhaisempi, osittain vaimentava vaikutus. Fenthionilla ei ollut mitaan vaikutusta

Lactococcus garvieae endocarditis presenting with subdural haematoma.

Lactococcus garvieae is a rare cause of infective endocarditis (IE) in humans and the bacterium can easily be misidentified. Intracranial haemorrhage often occurs in conjunction with IE, but subdural haemorrhage (SDH) is very rarely encountered

Reduction in glomerular pore size is not restricted to pregnant women. Evidence for a new syndrome: 'Shrunken pore syndrome'.

The plasma levels of cystatin C, β2-microglobulin, beta-trace protein, retinol binding protein (RBP) and creatinine were determined in plasma samples from 111 randomly selected patients with eGFRcystatin C ≤ 60% of eGFRcreatinine and from 55 control patients with 0.9eGFRcreatinine ≤ eGFRcystatin C ≤ 1.1eGFRcreatinine (eGFRcystatin C ≈ eGFRcreatinine). The concentration ratios of cystatin C/creatinine, β2-microglobulin/creatinine, beta-trace protein/creatinine and RBP/creatinine were significantly higher in patients with eGFRcystatin C ≤ 60% of eGFRcreatinine than in patients with eGFRcystatin C ≈ eGFRcreatinine. When the patients were divided into three groups with different estimated GFR intervals (≤ 40, 40-60 and ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73m(2)) the concentration ratios of cystatin C/creatinine, β2-microglobulin/creatinine, and beta-trace protein/creatinine were significantly higher in patients with eGFRcystatin C ≤ 60% of eGFRcreatinine than in patients with eGFRcystatin C ≈ eGFRcreatinine for all GFR intervals. Similar results were obtained when the population without pregnant women was studied as well as the subpopulations of men or of non-pregnant women. Populations of pre-eclamptic women and pregnant women in the third trimester display similar results. Since the production of these four proteins with sizes similar to that of cystatin C is not co-regulated, the most likely explanation for the simultaneous increase of their creatinine-ratios in patients with eGFRcystatin C ≤ 60% of eGFRcreatinine is that their elimination by glomerular filtration is decreased. We suggest that this is due to a reduction in pore diameter of the glomerular membrane and propose the designation 'Shrunken pore syndrome' for this pathophysiological state

Three-dimensional stratification of bacterial biofilm populations in a moving bed biofilm reactor for nitritation-anammox.

Moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs) are increasingly used for nitrogen removal with nitritation-anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) processes in wastewater treatment. Carriers provide protected surfaces where ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anammox bacteria form complex biofilms. However, the knowledge about the organization of microbial communities in MBBR biofilms is sparse. We used new cryosectioning and imaging methods for fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to study the structure of biofilms retrieved from carriers in a nitritation-anammox MBBR. The dimensions of the carrier compartments and the biofilm cryosections after FISH showed good correlation, indicating little disturbance of biofilm samples by the treatment. FISH showed that Nitrosomonas europaea/eutropha-related cells dominated the AOB and Candidatus Brocadia fulgida-related cells dominated the anammox guild. New carriers were initially colonized by AOB, followed by anammox bacteria proliferating in the deeper biofilm layers, probably in anaerobic microhabitats created by AOB activity. Mature biofilms showed a pronounced three-dimensional stratification where AOB dominated closer to the biofilm-water interface, whereas anammox were dominant deeper into the carrier space and towards the walls. Our results suggest that current mathematical models may be oversimplifying these three-dimensional systems and unless the multidimensionality of these systems is considered, models may result in suboptimal design of MBBR carriers

Biofilm Thickness Influences Biodiversity in Nitrifying MBBRs-Implications on Micropollutant Removal

In biofilm systems for wastewater treatment (e.g., moving bed biofilms reactorsMBBRs) biofilm thickness is typically not under direct control. Nevertheless, biofilm thickness is likely to have a profound effect on the microbial diversity and activity, as a result of diffusion limitation and thus substrate penetration in the biofilm. In this study, we investigated the impact of biofilm thickness on nitrification and on the removal of more than 20 organic micropollutants in laboratory-scale nitrifying MBBRs. We used novel carriers (Z-carriers, AnoxKaldnes) that allowed controlling biofilm thickness at 50, 200, 300, 400, and 500 μm. The impact of biofilm thickness on microbial community was assessed via 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and ammonia monooxygenase (<i>amoA</i>) abundance quantification through quantitative PCR (qPCR). Results from batch experiments and microbial analysis showed that (i) the thickest biofilm (500 μm) presented the highest specific biotransformation rate constants (<i>k</i>_bio, L g^–1 d^–1) for 14 out of 22 micropollutants; (ii) biofilm thickness positively associated with biodiversity, which was suggested as the main factor for the observed enhancement of <i>k</i>_bio; (iii) the thinnest biofilm (50 μm) exhibited the highest nitrification rate (gN d^–1 g^–1), <i>amoA</i> gene abundance and <i>k</i>_bio values for some of the most recalcitrant micropollutants (i.e., diclofenac and targeted sulfonamides). Although thin biofilms favored nitrification activity and the removal of some micropollutants, treatment systems based on thicker biofilms should be considered to enhance the elimination of a broad spectrum of micropollutants

Diffusion and sorption of trace organic micropollutants in biofilm with varying thickness

Solid-liquid partitioning is one of the main fate processes determining the removal of micropollutants in wastewater. Little is known on the sorption of micropollutants in biofilms, where molecular diffusion may significantly influence partitioning kinetics. In this study, the diffusion and the sorption of 23 micropollutants were investigated in novel moving bed biofilm reactor (MBBR) carriers with controlled biofilm thickness (50, 200 and 500 μm) using targeted batch experiments (initial concentration = 1 μg L−1, for X-ray contrast media 15 μg L−1) and mathematical modelling. We assessed the influence of biofilm thickness and density on the dimensionless effective diffusivity coefficient f (equal to the biofilm-to-aqueous diffusivity ratio) and the distribution coefficient Kd,eq (L g−1). Sorption was significant only for eight positively charged micropollutants (atenolol, metoprolol, propranolol, citalopram, venlafaxine, erythromycin, clarithromycin and roxithromycin), revealing the importance of electrostatic interactions with solids. Sorption equilibria were likely not reached within the duration of batch experiments (4 h), particularly for the thickest biofilm, requiring the calculation of the distribution coefficient Kd,eq based on the approximation of the asymptotic equilibrium concentration (t &gt; 4 h). Kd,eq values increased with increasing biofilm thickness for all sorptive micropollutants (except atenolol), possibly due to higher porosity and accessible surface area in the thickest biofilm. Positive correlations between Kd,eq and micropollutant properties (polarity and molecular size descriptors) were identified but not for all biofilm thicknesses, thus confirming the challenge of improving predictive sorption models for positively charged compounds. A diffusion-sorption model was developed and calibrated against experimental data, and estimated f values also increased with increasing biofilm thickness. This indicates that diffusion in thin biofilms may be strongly limited (f ≪ 0.1) by the high biomass density (reduced porosity)