Optimization of an Alkylpolyglucoside-Based Dishwashing Detergent Formulation.

The aim of this work was to formulate and optimize the washing performance of an alkylpolyglucoside-based dishwashing detergent. The liquid detergent was formulated with five ingredients of commercial origin: anionic (linear sodium alkylbenzenesulfonate and sodium laurylethersulfate), nonionic (C12–C14 alkylpolyglucoside) and zwitterionic (a fatty acid amide derivative with a betaine structure) surfactants, and NaCl for viscosity control. In addition to the plate test, other properties were investigated including ‘‘cloud point’’, viscosity, and emulsion stability. Statistical analysis software was used to generate a central composite experimental design. Then, a second order design and analysis of experiments approach, known as the Response Surface Methodology, was set up to investigate the effects of the five components of the formulation on the studied properties in the region covering plausible component ranges. The method proved to be efficient for locating the domains of concentrations where the desired properties were met

The bacteriohopanepolyol inventory of novel aerobic methane oxidising bacteria reveals new biomarker signatures of aerobic methanotrophy in marine systems

Aerobic methane oxidation (AMO) is one of the primary biologic pathways regulating the amount of methane (CH4) released into the environment. AMO acts as a sink of CH4, converting it into carbon dioxide before it reaches the atmosphere. It is of interest for (paleo)climate and carbon cycling studies to identify lipid biomarkers that can be used to trace AMO events, especially at times when the role of methane in the carbon cycle was more pronounced than today. AMO bacteria are known to synthesise bacteriohopanepolyol (BHP) lipids. Preliminary evidence pointed towards 35-aminobacteriohopane-30,31,32,33,34-pentol (aminopentol) being a characteristic biomarker for Type I methanotrophs. Here, the BHP compositions were examined for species of the recently described novel Type I methanotroph bacterial genera Methylomarinum and Methylomarinovum, as well as for a novel species of a Type I Methylomicrobium. Aminopentol was the most abundant BHP only in Methylomarinovum caldicuralii, while Methylomicrobium did not produce aminopentol at all. In addition to the expected regular aminotriol and aminotetrol BHPs, novel structures tentatively identified as methylcarbamate lipids related to C-35 amino-BHPs (MCBHPs) were found to be synthesised in significant amounts by some AMO cultures. Subsequently, sediments and authigenic carbonates from methane-influenced marine environments were analysed. Most samples also did not contain significant amounts of aminopentol, indicating that aminopentol is not a useful biomarker for marine aerobic methanotophic bacteria. However, the BHP composition of the marine samples do point toward the novel MC-BHPs components being potential new biomarkers for AMO

Tamsulosin-induced severe hypotension during general anesthesia: a case report.

Introduction: Tamsulosin, a selective alpha1-adrenergic receptor (alpha1-AR) antagonist, is a widely prescribed first-line agent for benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). Its interaction with anesthetic agents has not been described. Case Presentation: We report the case of 54-year-old Asian man undergoing elective left thyroid lobectomy. The only medication the Patient was taking was tamsulosin 0.4 mg for the past year for BPH. He developed persistent hypotension during the maintenance phase of anesthesia while receiving oxygen, nitrous oxide and 1% isoflurane. The hypotension could have been attributable to a possible interaction between inhalational anesthetic and tamsulosin. Conclusion: Vigilance for unexpected hypotension is important in surgical Patients who are treated with selective alpha1-AR blockers. If hypotension occurs, vasopressors that act directly on adrenergic receptors could be more effective

Self Management Activation Randomised Trial for Prostatitis (SMART-P): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chronic prostatitis otherwise known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome is a common urological diagnosis that causes many men significant morbidity and has a detrimental effect on their quality of life. Standard treatment with antibiotics and simple analgesia are often ineffective and many patients are managed by the chronic pain services.</p> <p>Cognitive behavioural therapy has been shown to be helpful in the management of many chronic diseases and has recently been proposed as an effective treatment for chronic prostatitis. Furthermore, a self management programme administered to groups of men with lower urinary tract symptoms has been shown to be more effective than standard treatments including surgery.</p> <p>Therefore, we have developed a cognitive behavioural therapy programme specifically for men with chronic prostatitis. This novel treatment approach will be compared to conventional therapy in the pain clinic such as atypical analgesia and local anaesthetic injections in the context of a randomised controlled trial.</p> <p>Methods/Design</p> <p>Men will be recruited from general urology outpatient clinics following the exclusion of other diagnoses that could be responsible for their symptoms. Men will be randomised to attend either a self management healthcare and education programme or to pain clinic referral alone. The self management programme will be administered by a clinical psychologist to small groups of men over six consecutive weekly sessions each lasting two hours. Patients will be taught techniques of problem-solving and goal-setting and will learn coping mechanisms and how to modify catastrophic cognition.</p> <p>The primary outcome will be change from baseline in the National Institute of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Index, a validated instrument for the assessment of men with chronic prostatitis. Secondary outcomes include generic quality of life scores and analgesic and drug usage. Outcomes will be assessed at 2, 6 and 12 months.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>If this group administered self management programme is shown to be effective in the treatment of men with chronic prostatitis it may become the new standard of care for these patients. Furthermore, it may be adapted for use in women with interstitial cystitis, a condition which is analogous to chronic prostatitis in men.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>Current Controlled Trials <a href="http://www.trialregister.nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp?TC=ISRCTN21012555">ISRCTN21012555</a></p

Pelvic tenderness is not limited to the prostate in chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CPPS) type IIIA and IIIB: comparison of men with and without CP/CPPS

Background: We wished to determine if there were differences in pelvic and non-pelvic tenderness between men with chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) Type III and men without pelvic pain. Methods: We performed the Manual Tender Point Survey (MTPS) as described by the American College of Rheumatology on 62 men with CP/CPPS Type IIIA and IIIB and 98 men without pelvic pain. We also assessed tenderness of 10 external pelvic tender points (EPTP) and of 7 internal pelvic tender points (IPTP). All study participants completed the National Institutes of Health Chronic Prostatitis Symptom Inventory (NIH CPSI). Results: We found that men with CPPS were significantly more tender in the MTPS, the EPTPS and the IPTPS. CPSI scores correlated with EPTP scale but not with IPTP scale or prostate tenderness. Prostatic tenderness was present in 75% of men with CPPS and in 50% of men without CPPS. Expressed prostatic fluid leukocytosis was not associated with prostatic tenderness. Conclusion: Men with CP/CPPS have more tenderness compared to men without CPPS. Tenderness in men with CPPS is distributed throughout the pelvis and not specific to the prostate

Culture-Independent Microbiological Analysis of Foley Urinary Catheter Biofilms

Background: Prevention of catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI), a leading cause of nosocomial disease, is complicated by the propensity of bacteria to form biofilms on indwelling medical devices [1,2,3,4,5]. Methodology/Principal Findings: To better understand the microbial diversity of these communities, we report the results of a culture-independent bacterial survey of Foley urinary catheters obtained from patients following total prostatectomy. Two patient subsets were analyzed, based on treatment or no treatment with systemic fluoroquinolone antibiotics during convalescence. Results indicate the presence of diverse polymicrobial assemblages that were most commonly observed in patients who did not receive systemic antibiotics. The communities typically contained both Gram-positive and Gramnegative microorganisms that included multiple potential pathogens. Conclusion/Significance: Prevention and treatment of CAUTI must take into consideration the possible polymicrobial nature of any particular infection