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Notes: The nitromusk perfume ingredient, musk abrette, has been reported to cause photoallergic reactions in man. The potential of alternative, chemically related, nitromusks to cause photoallergy has been studied using the Colworth guinea-pig photoallergy test.The results showed that, compared with musk ambrette, musk moskene had a weak potential for inducing photoallergy, and that the musks xylene, ketone and tibetene had only very weak potentials. A study of photo-crossreaction to musk ambrette showed that musk moskene was active, musk xylene was weakly active, while the musks ketone and tibetene were inactive.We conclude that musk moskene is likely to be less hazardous for man than musk ambrette, but caution should be used in selection of concentrations for use on sun-exposed skin. The musks xylene, ketone and tibetene are likely, photobiologically, to be acceptable alternatives to musk ambrette. The photoallergic potential of the nitromusks can, probably, be related to chemical structure.

Notes: Abstract At luminosities above 1011 , infrared galaxies become the dominant population of extragalactic objects in the local Universe (z〈 0.3), being more numerous than optically selected starburst and Seyfert galaxies and quasi-stellar objects at comparable bolometric luminosity. The trigger for the intense infrared emission appears to be the strong interaction/merger of molecular gas-rich spirals, and the bulk of the infrared luminosity for all but the most luminous objects is due to dust heating from an intense starburst within giant molecular clouds. At the highest luminosities (Lir〉 1012 ), nearly all objects appear to be advanced mergers powered by a mixture of circumnuclear starburst and active galactic nucleus energy sources, both of which are fueled by an enormous concentration of molecular gas that has been funneled into the merger nucleus. These ultraluminous infrared galaxies may represent an important stage in the formation of quasi-stellar objects and powerful radio galaxies. They may also represent a primary stage in the formation of elliptical galaxy cores, the formation of globular clusters, and the metal enrichment of the intergalactic medium.

Notes: Helicobacter pylori antimicrobial resistance is the most common reason for eradication failure. Small studies have shown metronidazole resistance to be more prevalent in certain population groups.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉Aim:To determine the resistance rates in a large cohort of patients from a single centre in the UK, and to evaluate resistance patterns over time, according to age, sex and socio-economic status.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉Methods:Consecutive patients with H. pylori-positive antral gastric biopsy samples were studied from 1994 to 1999. Susceptibility testing was performed to metronidazole, tetracycline, macrolide and amoxicillin by the modified disk diffusion method. The Jarman under-privileged area score was used as a measure of socio-economic status.〈section xml:id="abs1-4"〉〈title type="main"〉Results:A total of 1064 patients were studied. Overall metronidazole resistance was 40.3%, decreasing with age (P 〈 0.0001, odds ratio for patients over 60 years 0.63, 95% CI: 0.48–0.80). Women were more likely to have metronidazole resistant strains (P=0.003, odds ratio 1.5, 95% CI: 1.15–1.91), but there was no association with Jarman score. Macrolide resistance was associated with metronidazole resistance (P=0.03, odds ratio 2.14, 95% CI: 1.07–4.28).〈section xml:id="abs1-5"〉〈title type="main"〉Conclusions:Metronidazole resistance in H. pylori is highly prevalent and more common in women and the young, but does not appear to be related to socio-economic status.

Notes: : Both triple therapy with ranitidine bismuth citrate (RBC) plus two antibiotics for 7 days and dual therapy of RBC with clarithromycin for 14 days have been extensively studied; both regimens effectively eradicate Helicobacter pylori. However, few studies have assessed the efficacy of dual therapy given for 7 days.〈section xml:id="abs1-2"〉〈title type="main"〉Aim: To compare the efficacy and safety of RBC 400 mg with clarithromycin 500 mg, alone or with metronidazole 400 mg, given twice daily for 7 days for the eradication of H. pylori.〈section xml:id="abs1-3"〉〈title type="main"〉Methods: This single centre, randomized, double-blind study involved 118 patients with dyspepsia or a history of peptic ulcer disease. H. pylori infection was detected initially by CLO test, and confirmed in 109 patients by urea breath test and/or microbiology culture. H. pylori eradication was assessed 4 and 12 weeks after the end of treatment by urea breath test. H. pylori antibiotic susceptibility was assessed pre-study in all patients, and post-treatment in patients with a positive post-treatment urea breath test. Adverse events were recorded throughout the study.〈section xml:id="abs1-4"〉〈title type="main"〉Results: H. pylori was eradicated in 93% of patients who received RBC with clarithromycin and metronidazole and in 84% of patients who received RBC with clarithromycin (intention-to-treat rates). Per protocol eradication rates were 98% and 90% for triple therapy and dual therapy, respectively. The eradication of metronidazole-resistant H. pylori was achieved in 100% and 88% of patients following dual therapy and triple therapy, respectively, and acquired resistance to clarithromycin occurred in only one patient following treatment failure. Both treatments were well-tolerated; only one patient (2%) was withdrawn from each treatment group due to adverse events.〈section xml:id="abs1-5"〉〈title type="main"〉Conclusions: RBC with clarithromycin and metronidazole is a highly effective and well-tolerated triple therapy regimen for the eradication of H. pylori. RBC with clarithromycin dual therapy has a similar efficacy, and offers an alternative to triple therapy when there are concerns about treatment with metronidazole or the use of multiple antibiotics. Both regimens are effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of H. pylori.